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The Return of the Life -boat 


Page 3 


G 


~r o uv s i- o 


P . G ^ 'I 
' ' t- Ol I 


THE CRYSTAL CITY 


TRANSLATED FROM^;PHE FRENCH OF 

ANDRE LAURIE 



BOSTON 

ESTES AND LAURIAT 

PUBLISHERS 



Copyright^ i8g6, 

By Estes and Lauriat 


e 

i ^ 

< < f 




Colonial ^|rcss: 

C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, Mass., U.S. A. 
Electrotyped by Geo. C. Scott & Sons 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

An Officer Overboard . 

I. 

, * 

' ^ 

PAGE 

. I 

CHAPTER 

A Prodigious Adventure 

II. 



. 13 

CHAPTER 

The Ring 

III. 



. 28 

CHAPTER 

“ The Poplars ” 

IV. 



.. 36 

CHAPTER 

The Plan of Campaign 

V. 


-■ 

. 44 

CHAPTER 

The Yacht “Cinderella” 

VI. 

. 

. 

. 54 

CHAPTER 

The Journal of a Diver 

VII. 



. 70 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The Diving-bell .... 



. 81 

CHAPTER 

The Torpedo-boat “ Titania ” 

IX. 



. 94 


VI 


Contents. 


CHAPTER X. 

Helene Rieux to Bertha Luzan . , . .107 

CHAPTER XL 

Funeral Orations 118 

CHAPTER XII. 

Kermadec’s Mission 13 1 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Doctor Patrice’s Reflections .... 141 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Charicles and Rene 157 

CHAPTER XV. 

The Story of Atlantis 172 

CHAPTER XVI. 

The Song of the Siren 184 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Charicles Imbibes Some Modern Ideas . . 201 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

The First Ring at the Door 216 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Second Ring at the Bell . . . .231 

CHAPTER XX. 

Prisoners of the Sea 247 

CHAPTER XXL 

The Last of the Atlantes 262 


CHAPTER XXII. 

The Return to the Light of Day — Conclusion 274 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


\ 


PAGH 

The Return of the Life -boat (pages) Frontispiece 

Rene receiving the Ring 23- 

Stephen Patrice examining the Ring . . .29*^ 

The Cousins 40 

On Board the “Cinderella” 60 

The first Descent of the Diving-bell . . 76- 

The Crystal City 91 

The Trial Trip of the “Titania” . . . 104*- 

Helene and Captain Harancourt . . . 107- 

Patrice reading Rene’s Letter . . . .118- 

The Officers of the “Hercules” . . .124 

Rene admitted to the Crystal City . . .136 

Rene telling his Story 164 ^ 

The History of Atlantide 172 ^ 

The Second Exodus 181 ✓ 

The Song of Atlantis 198 

The Recovery of Charicles 200 

“Atlantis had come to the Door” . . .219'' 

“ Helene and Atlantis chatted apart ” . . 236 • 

The Sorrow of Eucharis 255^ 

Gathering the Roses 270 

In the Tunnel 275 ^ 



Ail' . J.( s 
















CHAPTER 1 . 


AN OFFICER OVERBOARD! 


On the 19th of October, 
in the year 18 — , a strange 
and. tragic accident happened on board the cruiser 
Hercules, en route for Lorient, after long and labo- 
rious duty on the station in the Gulf of Benin. 

They were in mid- Atlantic, just above the Azores, 
as nearly as possible to the spot where 25° E. 
longitude crosses 36° N. latitude. The vessel was 
running at full speed to the N. N. E. before a 


2 


The Crystal City, 


cyclone, which had come up about six o’clock in the 
evening. It was seven, and the starless night only 
added to the horror of the storm, when either a 
mistake on the part of the helmsman, or a sudden 
veering of the wind, brought the cruiser broadside 
to a formidable wave from the west. A liquid 
mountain struck the upper deck of the Hercules a 
blow as if a hammer had done it, carrying away with 
it the starboard gun and its carriage; then dashed 
away like a cataract, leaving a surface of thirty 
square feet or more shaved as clean as a hulk. The 
next instant, as the vessel pursued its course, running 
before the cyclone, a cry, followed by a second, was 
heard from the maintop: “An officer overboard, 
from the upper deck!” “A man wounded!” At 
the first call the luminous buoy was severed by the 
stroke of a hatchet, and Commander Harancourt, 
rushing to the speaking-trumpet, gave in person the 
order to stop. In two minutes one of the life-boats 
was afloat, and set off in the tumult of boiling waters 
in search, and disappeared into the darkness. Amid 
the gruesome howling of the wind and the furious 
blows of the waves, seemingly enraged at the slack- 
ened speed of the cruiser, the officer in command 
brought his verbal report to his chief. The officer 
carried away by the wave, with the cannon from the 
upper deck, was Midshipman Caoudal. The man 
wounded in the thigh by a splinter of the planking 


An Officer Overboard ! 


3 


was topman Yvon Kermadec. Every one crowded 
round to listen to the lugubrious report. A half- 
hour of intense anxiety passed before the life-boat 
signalled its return, and the fruitlessness of its 
search. It was hoisted on board, and the dripping 
crew were treated to a ration of hot rum. Every 
man of them was obliged to own, with a sob in his 
voice, that any further attempt at rescue would be 
useless. The sea held its prey, and would not give 
it up. The Hercules went on her way, with the 
poignant regret of every one on board at abandoning 
to the deep a brave young fellow, certain of promo- 
tion, fallen ingloriously and without advantage to any 
one, in full health and hope, at the threshold of his 
career. Rene Caoudal was the most popular officer 
on board, a great favourite with his brother officers ; 
and, among the roughest of the men, there was not 
one who did not shed a tear. 

When the commander went below to the infirmary 
to see Yvon Kermadec, he was coming to from a deep 
swoon, thanks to the energetic means applied by Dr. 
Patrice, and the frightened blue eyes in his honest, 
brown Breton face had opened. Presently memory 
returned to him with the pain; and he explained 
what occurred as follows : 

I was leaning with my back against the mizzen- 
mast. M. Caoudal came and went, as if he were 
surprised at the change of wind, when, all of a 


4 


The Crystal City. 


sudden, the wave broke right over us. I never saw 
one like it all the five years since I left Paimpol, nor 
even before that, when I used to go fishing for cod. 
It was like a wall of molten metal pouring itself over 
the Hercules. Everything was broken up, smashed 
to pieces, and washed away. I had a sort of confused 
vision of M. Caoudal thrown against and clinging to 
the breech of the cannon on the upper deck, then, 
lifted up and swept away with the rest. At the same 
instant I was blown like a flag against the mast near 
which I was standing, and an enormous piece of 
wood broke my left leg, and then I became uncon- 
scious. Better for me if I had succumbed,” added 
the poor lad, in a discouraged tone. “ What is the 
use of living, if I am to lose a leg ? I shall be good 
for nothing. It would have been far better if I 
had been washed away instead of M. Caoudal ! An 
officer like him is not met with every day ! ” 

This was said with such evident sincerity that 
the young doctor was deeply moved. Nobody knew 
better than he what an irreparable loss the French 
navy had sustained in Rene Caoudal. He had been 
his most intimate friend and companion since their 
childhood. This praise of one whom he had always 
considered as a brother touched him to such a 
degree that his hand became unsteady, and he was 
obliged to wait a moment or two before he could pro- 
ceed with the dressing of the broken limb. “ Come, 


An Officer Overboard ! 


5 


come, my brave Kermadec, no weakness,” said he to 
the topman. “Your leg is not lost yet, and I have 
good hope of your keeping it, but I can’t promise 
you that, unless you take the greatest care to use 
every means to make it as good again as ever. As 
to the regrets you express at the premature end of 
M. Caoudal, certainly they are proper ! A braver 
heart, a more intelligent and distinguished officer, 
a better son, never lived ! ” 

“How his poor mother will grieve ! ” pursued the 
topman, unconsciously giving expression to the 
thought that was in the doctor’s mind. “ It is hard 
for us who are left behind ; it does n’t seem right ; 
people that are devoted to one another here ought 
to make a compact to die together. Dear M. Rene ! 
It was he who convinced me of the folly of spending 
my money at the drink-shop when I went ashore. I 
was so glad to have got the better of that habit. 
But now, who will give me good advice } Who will 
care whether I keep right or not } Clever gentleman 
though he was, he didn’t think it beneath him to 
talk to me and teach me a heap of things. He used 
to call me Friend Kermadec. Ah, me ! I would 
have gone through fire and water for him, and to see 
him swept away under my very eyes, without being 
able to lift a finger to save him ! ” 

The topman paused, choked with grief. 

“ You know how dear he was to me, my brave 


6 


The Crystal City. 


Kermadec,” said the doctor at length. I will try 
to fill his place to you. If ever you are in need of 
advice or of help, if you think I can be useful in any 
way, come to me ; for his sake I shall be happy to 
serve you.” 

The dressing of the injured limb was accomplished. 
The commander and the doctor, having cordially 
pressed the man’s hand, left him and went on deck. 
They conversed a few minutes about the deplorable 
loss of the young officer before the commander went 
to draw up his report. 

Everybody in the officers’ deck saloon was await- 
ing Patrice with impatience. Still quite young, but 
as modest as he was clever, lively, a pleasant com- 
panion, the doctor was every one’s favourite. No 
festivity was complete without him. But now, un- 
usual cordiality was shown to him. They all knew 
what a close friendship had existed between him and 
Caoudal. They listened with breathless interest to 
the details of the accident that he had gathered from 
Kermadec. 

“ What you have to say only adds to our grief,” 
said Lieutenant Briant, an officer about forty years 
of age, with large, prominent, short-sighted eyes, and 
grave and somewhat repellent expression of face ; 
“ and for my part, I cannot tell you how pained I am 
at his premature death.” 

“Dear, brave Caoudal,” cried Midshipman Des 


A 71 Officer Overboard ! 


7 


Bruyeres, “if he was good-natured and willing to 
help his inferiors, he was none the less a jolly fellow 
among his equals. Where shall we find such a 
cheery messmate } He can never be replaced." 

By a common impulse their thoughts turned to the 
Caoudal family, and the doctor did all he could to 
satisfy their respectful curiosity about them. 

“ Rene," said he, “ was the son and the grandson 
of a sailor. Like him, his father and grandfather were 
both drowned at sea. He was the only son; and 
poor Madame Caoudal had a great horror of his 
entering a profession which she felt to be so cruel, 
and she never ceased to wage war against any tend- 
ency in him towards the vocation of the sea, to 
which she always owed a grudge. Her friends and 
the servants were warned to be very careful to 
abstain from any nautical allusions or anything that 
might tend to foster a desire to follow the father’s 
example in that respect. Vain precautions ! They 
might as well have tried to prevent a fish from 
swimming. Rene was a born sailor ; no education 
but for that end would satisfy him. No one could 
prevent his seeing from a bend of the river a silhou- 
ette of a flying vessel, and what they failed to tell 
him he divined somehow or other. Nothing in the 
shape of a boat had ever figured among his toys ; 
but, at seven years of age, he was found making one. 

“Whence had he got the idea.? Surely it must 


8 


The Crystal City. 


have been inborn. From that time, all his thoughts, 
waking and sleeping, were taken up with long voy- 
ages, to the despair of his poor mother, who saw the 
birth and growth of a force against which she was 
powerless to contend. It was still worse when his 
little cousin Helene came to live with them. The 
daughter of a sister of Lieutenant Caoudal, Hdene 
had been brought up by her mother to worship the 
profession, and with the most ardent admiration for 
maritime exploits. The child had been suddenly 
left an orphan ; Madame Caoudal had given her the 
shelter of her roof, and, with the advent of her niece, 
fell the frail barriers that she vainly tried to raise 
between Rene and an irresistible vocation. At this 
time the two children were twelve years of age. 
They had not known each other before, the little 
girl having always lived in Algeria ; but from the 
first day they were sworn friends. They had the 
same tastes, the same ambitions. Their talks ran 
always on the same theme, — distant voyages, expedi- 
tions to the North Pole, naval battles, and discov- 
eries of unknown lands. Hdene’s bitter regret at 
being only a girl was somewhat mitigated by the 
thought of seeing her dreams take shape by proxy. 
Meanwhile they prepared for future exploits by the 
most ridiculous freaks. Our embryo navigators 
made it a duty to leave no nook or corner of the 
neighbourhood on the banks of the Loire, in which 


An Officer Overboard! 


9 


they lived, unexplored. Their adventures ‘by sea 
and by land ’ were numberless. Hardly a day 
passed without their coming home either with a 
bruised forehead, or a limb more or less damaged, 
and their clothes torn. From that time, Rene had 
no wish for any career other than that of the sea. 
Madame Caoudal, who was a wise as well as a tender 
mother, brought herself at last to see it, and, sacri- 
ficing from that time forward the long cherished 
hope of keeping her son near her, generously kept 
her disappointment to herself. She opened, to the 
children’s great delight, the long closed wardrobes 
where she kept the sacred relics of her husband and 
his father, and thenceforth everything relating to 
the navy became a sort of religion to them. It was 
now no more a question of adventures ‘ a la Robin- 
son Crusoe,’ but seriously to think of preparing for 
the entrance examination for the naval school. I 
completed my medical studies the same year that 
Rene was admitted. Though there was a differ- 
ence of six years between us, — a great difference 
at that age, precluding any childish intimacy, — we 
had always been good friends ; we were neighbours, 
and our mothers on terms of close intimacy. It 
was a great satisfaction to me when I joined the 
Hercules. I expected great things from this prom- 
ising sailor. But how miserably have our hopes 
been disappointed ! ” 


lo The Crystal City^ 

All listened to this account of their late comrade 
with sympathetic interest, and Lieutenant Briant 
thanked the doctor in the name of his brother 
officers : 

AW the details you have given us about him 
whom we have lost,’’ added he, ‘‘only make his 
memory the more dear, if that were possible. On 
you, my poor fellow, will devolve the painful task of 
breaking the mournful news to his mother. Tell 
her, when she can bear to hear it, of the esteem and 
affection we all bore for him.” 

“ And his cousin ; ” said Des Bruyeres, thought- 
lessly, “for her also it will be a frightful blow. 
Perhaps she was his fiancee ! ” 

“ No,” replied the doctor, rather drily, “ Made- . 
moiselle Helene Rieux and Caoudal were not en- 
gaged. We are speaking in confidence here. Why 
should I not tell you that Madame Caoudal’ s great 
desire was that they should marry, but she was des- 
tined to be disappointed in this wish also, for they 
had flatly refused to lend themselves to the project. 
Hdene and Rene were brother and sister, or, rather, 
their regard for one another was like that of two 
brothers.” 

While they chatted thus in the officers’ deck sa- 
loon, and Commander Harancourt wrote the details 
of the catastrophe in the log-book, the storm lost its 
force and soon ceased altogether. A quieter sea sue- 


An Officer Overboard! ii 

ceeded the formidable waves that had subjected the 
Hercides to so rude an assault. The watch changed 
at the usual hour ; the men on the watch took up 
their posts, whilst their comrades separated, to seek 
in their hammocks the rest they so much needed. 
All night long the cruiser rolled like a cork on the 
chopping sea. Then, towards morning, it quieted 
down again, and, when the sun appeared above the 
horizon, it lighted up a sea as smooth as a mirror. 
The Hercides pursued her course. She very soon 
touched at Lisbon, and was able to repair her dam- 
ages, after which she again put to sea and, in a 
few days, arrived at Lorient. It was by this time 
a fortnight since the loss of Midshipman Caoudal, 
but the sad event was still fresh in the memory 
of all. Kermadec, well on the road towards recov- 
ery, was already able, by the help of a pair of 
crutches, to hoist himself up on deck. 

Doctor Patrice’s heart was as heavy as lead at the 
thought of the task that lay before him with regard 
to his friend’s unfortunate mother, but, with thought- 
ful delicacy, the commander had desired that she 
should be informed in this way, rather than by an 
official despatch from Lisbon. 

The pilot had just boarded the Hercules y bringing 
letters, impatiently awaited by all on board. Sud- 
denly, the commander appeared with a radiant face, 
and a blue paper in his hand. 


12 


The Crystal City, 


“I have good news for you, gentlemen,” said he. 

Midshipman Caoudal is safe and sound ; picked up 
at sea by a mail-boat from La Plata. Two days 
ago he was in the hospital at Lorient, and is now 
convalescent.” 


CHAPTER 11. 


A PRODIGIOUS ADVENTURE. 

The doctor’s joy at learning that his friend still 
lived was as great as the grief of the past two 
weeks. What a relief to be spared the sad errand 
to Madame Caoudal ; not to be obliged to face her 
grief, and that of her niece ! And for himself, what 
happiness to have his friend restored to him ; to be 
able to hope that Ren6 would live many years to 
torment his friends, to frighten them to death by 
his escapades, and yet to be liked by everybody, as 
of yore ! But did anybody ever hear of such a 
curious piece of luck.? To fall into the sea, in a 
furious storm, to the depth of a thousand feet, and 
then to find himself comfortable and calm in the 
roadstead at Lorient, two days before his comrades ! 
The scamp ! No one but Rene Caoudal could have 
met with such adventures. How they longed to see 
him ! Doctor Patrice lost no time in finding him, and 
hearing his account of himself. Ten minutes after 
landing, he entered the room where the midshipman 
was lying. The first greetings over, he examined 
the young man carefully, feeling all over him, apply- 


14 


The Crystal City, 


ing the stethoscope, and interrogating him, to make 
sure that there was no injury. His examination 
over, the doctor felt puzzled, for, physically, he was 
sound enough, and there did not appear to be any 
reason for his keeping his bed. And yet he could 
not conceal from himself a singular change in the 
mental condition of the young sailor. Sad, preoccu- 
pied, with pale face, and distrait expression, he evi- 
dently found difficulty in fixing his attention, and 
responded with reluctance to the eager questions of 
his friend. Truth to say, he appeared annoyed by 
them. 

What is the matter with you ” said Patrice, 
anxiously. “You do not seem to be any the worse 
for your immersion. I must say, I cannot under- 
stand why you lie here like a log. Come, make an 
effort ! Take a turn out-of-doors ; that will put you 
to rights in a twinkling.” 

“Oh! a walk in Lorient!” said he, in a contemp- 
tuous tone. 

“Lorient is not to be despised!” cried the doc- 
tor. “ In any case, it would be better than lying 
here in the dumps, for you are in the dumps ; 
that is evident. Come, what have you got on your 
mind } ” 

The only reply was a discouraged shrug of the 
shoulders. 

“Do you feel ill } ” 


A Prodigious Adventure. 15 

111 ? No ; not precisely ill.” 

“ Then what do you feel like } Have you any 
muscular pain, or any sprain ? How long were you 
in the water } ” 

Again Rene shrugged his shoulders. 

“ How do I know ? Besides, what does it mat- 
ter.^” muttered he, impatiently. 

And turning towards the wall, he hid his face with 
his arm, as if to insinuate that the conversation was 
burdensome. The doctor looked at him with sur- 
prise, which rapidly changed to uneasiness. What 
ailed him ? Such a frank and lively fellow, with 
such an open nature, and so transparent ! Had his 
head struck against a reef at the bottom of the sea ? 
Must he attribute this dumbness, this unusual sullen- 
ness, to some injury of the brain.? 

“How is it; don’t you know.?” he asked, deter- 
mined to make him speak. “You must be able to 
remember what happened when you came to the 
surface. You were not long under the water, per- 
haps. How many minutes, should you judge .? ” 

A deep sigh was the sole response. 

“ Perhaps you lost consciousness .? ” 

Rene was silent. 

“You were found lashed to an empty barrel, if I 
am rightly informed,” said Patrice. “Was it long 
before you got hold of it.? And the rope, — where 
did you get it from .? ” 


1 6 The Crystal City, 

Another shrug of the shoulders, and impatient 
turn of the head, as if to shake off importunate 
noise. It seemed as if the voice of his friend grated 
on his nerves like a saw scraping marble. For some 
minutes, the doctor pressed questions on him with- 
out getting any answer. 

“ My dear friend,” said he, at last, vexed in his 
turn by this behaviour, your cold bath appears to 
me to have had a most unfortunate effect upon your 
temper. You are not ill, but you are very sulky. 
If I bore you, say so. I will go away. It is very 
simple.” 

He turned towards the door. At this, Rene ap- 
peared to make an effort to rouse himself from his 
dejection. 

“ Patrice ! Stephen ! ” called he. “ Don’t be 
angry. Come back. You know I am glad to see 
you. You have no need that I should throw myself 
into your arms to prove that, I think.” 

“ Confound it ! There is a slight difference be- 
tween throwing your arms around my neck, and 
giving me such a reception as this, you must own.” 

Rene sighed afresh, shaking his head in a lugu- 
brious fashion. 

“Come, let us begin all over again. What on 
earth is the matter with you, with your sighs and 
your head - shakings } One would think that you 
concealed some terrible secret. Have you discov- 


A Prodigious Adventure, 17 

ered a conspiracy among the monsters of the deep, 
or have you heard the sirens sing at the bottom of 
the sea, and care for nothing but their music?” 

To the doctor’s great surprise, a deep flush suf- 
fused Rene’s pale face, and his eyes brightened, 
while a smile leaped to his lips. The two friends 
waited a moment, in silence, looking one another in 
the face. 

‘‘Well, explain yourself, I beg,” said the doctor, 
at length, crossing his arms on his breast. 

Rene reassumed his dejected attitude. 

“What would be the use?” said he, in a tone of 
lassitude; “you would not believe me.” 

“Why?” 

“Because, if I spoke, it would be to tell you of 
such improbable things, so ridiculous, you would 
never believe me. And you would be right, no 
doubt, if it were not for one irrefutable proof ; one 
material proof.” 

“ A proof of what ? ” 

“ Of what happened to me.” 

“Where? When? How? You are enough to 
provoke a saint with your reticence. I have a very 
good mind to shake you ! ” 

Rene remained silent a moment. Then he took a 
resolution. 

“Here, feel my pulse,” said he. “Have I any 
feverish symptoms ? ” 


The Crystal City, 


i8 


“Not a shadow of fever. A cool skin, and a 
pulse as steady as mine.” 

“ Look at me. Do I look scared ? Is my fore- 
head burning ? Do I look like a man demented, 
under the influence of delirium ? ” 

“Not the least in the world. You are like a fine 
lad, a friend of mine, the prey of an unaccountable 
mood, but in possession of all his faculties.” 

“Then, whatever I tell you, will you believe it.^” 

“If you swear to me that you speak seriously, I 
will believe it without a doubt.” 

“ I give you my word of honour that what I am 
going to tell you is strictly true. And yet, I 
hesitate.” 

“ Well, go along. I never knew any one so 
suspicious.” 

“You have never known me in circumstances 
such as I am now placed in. Stephen, you are my 
dearest friend ; almost my elder brother. I would 
not deceive you, would I ? Besides, to what end ? 
What I am going to tell you is trice. It is incom- 
prehensible, but it is true. I would rather keep to 
myself the secret of this strange adventure, and I 
had resolved never to speak of it to any one, certain 
of not being believed. But here you are. You 
question me, and I have such a habit of telling you 
everything that happens to me that, on my soul, I 
will risk it. Who knows ^ Perhaps, between us. 


A Prodigious Adventure, 19 

we may arrive at some plausible theory, at some 
practical conclusion.” 

Intensely puzzled by this preamble, not less than 
by the serious and deeply affected expression of the 
midshipman’s face, the doctor took a seat by the 
bedside, and prepared to listen. Rene, leaning on 
his elbow, with a dreamy look fixed on something 
visible to himself alone, began his story in these 
words : 

‘‘ You have not forgotten the circumstances I was 
placed in when I was washed overboard, on that 
Monday, the 19th of October. We were in a 
cyclone, running N. N. E., with a tremendous sea 
on, and the first thing you all knew was that a huge 
wave carried me and the gun away with it. Doubt- 
less, a search was made for me, and the vessel was 
stopped, to wait for me. I know what is the usual 
thing to do at such times, and, at the moment, I 
fully expected to be picked up.” 

The doctor signified by a gesture that all that 
had been done. 

Unfortunately, or, rather, fortunately, — for if I 
had been unluckily fished up then, I should have 
missed an unheard - of spectacle, — in falling, an 
irresistible impulse made me curl my legs and arms 
round the breech of the gun. The mass of steel 
was ingulfed in the water, and carried me down by 
its weight. In a moment, I felt the absurdity of 


20 


The Crystal City, 


what I was doing, and tried to relax my hold, in 
order to rise to the surface. Then I lost conscious- 
ness. So far, nothing remarkable happened. Once, 
I felt I was almost rescued, but instinctively I clung 
to my gun, which cut through the water like a flash 
of lightning. My last lucid thought was that I had 
come to the surface, and was floating like a dead 
fish. It is all linked together in my memory ; I see 
now what happened. I see the plunge into the 
water, I feel the cold of the steel in my arms, and 
the loss of breath, caused by the rapid dive. Then, for 
the second time, I lost consciousness. How long did 
it last } Who will ever know } Where was I } What 
was this place ; this never to be forgotten scene 

The officer paused a moment, a far-off look in his 
eyes, and his face pale. 

'‘When I recovered my senses,” resumed he, “I 
was lying on a soft couch. Just at first I was unable 
to open my eyes ; thought came back to me, but 
slowly ; I heard, but without being able to under- 
stand what was going on around me, voices speak- 
ing in a language unknown to me. At first I lay in 
a sort of vague languor — a reverie. The voices 
ceased. Suddenly memory returned, and I thought 
to myself : ‘ I must have fallen into the water ; I was 
suffocated. Some one has fished me out.’ I opened 
my eyes with difficulty, — my eyelids were as heavy as 
lead, — expecting to find myself in the ship’s hospital, 


A Prodigious Adventure, 21 

with you bending over me on one side, brushes and 
flannels in hand, and my good Kermadec on the 
other, busy rubbing his offlcer. And I remember 
wondering which of our fellows had taken my place 
on the watch. Instead of the hospital, instead of 
your faces, this is what I saw: I was lying in the 
middle of a spacious grotto, the walls of which 
seemed made of red coral, of the most exquisite 
shade. A silvery light fell from the roof, displaying 
a bed of ivory covered with a thick purple texture, as 
soft as velvet to the touch. Under my head were 
piled up cushions made of precious stuffs, curiously 
embroidered. 

The floor of the grotto was covered with the 
finest sand ; and here and there spread magnificent 
carpets. Ivory seats of antique form were disposed 
here and there ; also an embroidery-frame of smooth 
ivory with an unfinished piece of embroidery in it ; 
and a lyre of pale tortoise-shell resting on a pile of 
rumpled cushions, as if it had been thrown down in 
haste. In a basket made of rushes I saw wools of 
faded colours ; a roll of papyrus, open. I lay there, 
bewildered, looking about me, wondering what world 
I had wandered into, when a sweet voice, as clear as 
crystal, suddenly uttered an exclamation. I turned 
my head quickly. How shall I describe to you what 
I saw I A young girl and an old man stood beside 
my couch, and appeared to have entered from an 


22 


The Crystal City, 


inner grotto at the head of the bed. The old man, 
tall, almost gigantic, was stately in the extreme. He 
wore round his brow a gold fillet ; his long beard 
covered his breast with snowy waves. Draped in a 
voluminous mantle of white woollen material, en- 
riched with a border of coloured embroidery, he 
looked like an antique statue come to life. As to 
the young girl, I never saw anything so beautiful. 
She seemed to me a sort of ethereal being, made of 
the same sort of light as that shed from the roof of 
the grotto, — tall, upright, slender as a reed. She 
was clothed in a soft tunic of pale green, the colour 
of the waves, as you sometimes see them at sunrise. 
Her fair hair, held back from her face with strings 
of pearls, fell, in a silken mass, to her feet. Her 
pure brow was crowned with a garland of sea-weed, 
and in her clear eyes I thought I saw the spirit of 
the ocean, herself. She looked at me ; then pointing 
to me with her slim finger, she pronounced a short 
phrase. The old man replied. I made an effort to 
hear them, but I could understand nothing they said. 
If my recollection of the classics, — hazy enough, I 
must own, — does not deceive me, the language they 
spoke in was Greek. 

“ Meanwhile, the old man came towards me, placed 
his hand on my forehead, on my heart, and felt my 
pulse, just as you would have done, my dear Stephen. 
The young girl, leaning on his shoulder, turned her 



Rexe receiving the Ring 







A Prodigious Advefiture^ 23 

ravishing face towards me, with an expression half 
curious, half mocking. I felt that my modern uni- 
form, with its gold lace, and my leather boots, must 
have had a pitiful effect on this royal couch. You 
cannot imagine how mean and shabby I felt in the 
midst of all this luxury, this fairy, archaic, fantastic 
magnificence. However, my host and hostess contin- 
ued conversing beside my couch ; and by their looks 
and their gestures I saw that they were speaking of 
me. The old man looked more and more grave ; sev- 
eral times he raised his hand towards the roof of the 
grotto. ' It seemed to me that the young girl asked 
something ; playfully, at first ; then, getting almost 
angry. Her charming brow darkened ; she frowned, 
and her limpid eyes flashed. The old man, without 
troubling himself at this display of anger, signified 
‘ no ’ with his head in a severe manner. At last, 
releasing himself gently, but firmly, from the young 
girl who clung to him, he walked to an ivory coffer, 
took from it a gold cup, and began to concoct a bev- 
erage. The young girl stayed by my side. She- 
watched the old man for a few moments, with her 
eyelids drooping, biting her lips with a look of anger, 
which, by the way, in no wise detracted from her 
beauty ; then, all at once, with a charmingly muti- 
nous movement of the head, she smiled, drew nearer 
to me, and, rapidly slipping a ring on my finger, 
made a sign common, it seems, to all countries. She 


24 • The Crystal City. 

laid her finger on her smiling lips ; then, running to 
the cushions piled up near the embroidery-frame, she 
posed on them like a swallow, and, taking the lyre in 
her arms, began a song I can never forget. 

Oh, that crystal voice ! that strange, unreal 
music ! that fantastic and yet delicious melody ! 
You spoke just now of the song of the sirens, my 
dear Stephen, — what siren ever sang as mine did 
then ? Looking at her, listening to her, I felt myself 
living in an unknown world. A singular joy, mixed 
with a nameless melancholy, suffused my whole being. 
I could have wished to listen to it forever, or to die, 
listening to it. The tears rose to my eyes involun- 
tarily ; I was transported, and yet I was sad. 

“ She looked at me, while shedding these exquisite 
notes across the grotto, and it seemed to me that 
the rays of her eyes brought the fantastic notes to 
me. Opposite to her, one of the walls appearing to 
be of glass, I could distinguish a light -green, like 
that of the sea-water ; I got a glimpse of large bodies 
passing one another in this transparent wall, attracted, 
retained like myself, by the magic song. Unable 
longer to endure inaction, I raised myself on my 
couch, when the old man, returning noiselessly to 
my side, laid his hand heavily on my shoulder, and 
offered me a cup of chased gold, filled with a beverage 
with an aromatic odour. 

I was about to refuse it, when, at a word from 


A Prodigious Adventure. 25 

the old man, the young girl rose, came towards me 
as lightly as a shadow, and, with a smile on her lips, 
offered me the cup. I drank it at a draught. The 
beverage was of a peculiar but very agreeable taste. 
No sooner had I swallowed it than I fell back on my 
cushions as if paralyzed. The young girl began to 
sing again. Everything whirled round me, — the 
grotto, its inhabitants, its furniture, the great, 
strange fishes which passed to and fro near the 
transparent wall. I fancied I saw the faces of 
friends bending over my couch, — yours, my moth- 
er’s, Helene’s, — I shut my eyes to escape from 
the sensation of vertigo. The crystal- voice seemed 
to die aWay in the distance. Once more I lost 
consciousness. 

When I came to myself the morning sun was 
sparkling on the waves. I was alone. An imper- 
ceptible speck in the midst of the vast blue. Firmly 
lashed to an empty barrel, I floated at random in 
mid-Atlantic. I spent two days and two nights like 
that, in a state between waking and sleeping, tor- 
tured by heat and thirst during the day, my limbs 
stiff and cold by night. I should have died without 
being able to move if a French mail-boat from La 
Plata had not chanced to pick me up. They brought 
me here, took care of me, and I should have been 
well, I believe, long before now, if I had not been 
devoured with a longing which you will easily under- 


26 


The Crystal City. 


stand, and which consumes me like a burning fever, 
to see my young Undine again.” 

Doctor Patrice listened, at first with surprise, and 
then with uneasiness, to the midshipman’s strange 
story. Nothing was more natural than that he 
should, under the influence of a hallucination, caused 
by fever, exposure to the sun’s rays, thirst, and faint- 
ness, have dreamed of all these adventures ; but, that 
he persisted in the hallucination, and that he, in good 
faith, believed all that he said, was a very serious 
matter, and inspired him with grave fears as to his 
mental condition. At first, trying to laugh him out 
of it, and then speaking very seriously to him, Patrice 
exerted himself to bring his young friend to a more 
rational state of mind. But all in vain ; Rene refused 
to abate an inch of anything he had said. He had 
seen the grotto, the old man, the young girl, and, 
what was more, he was firmly resolved to see them 
again. 

He would die in the attempt, if need were, but find 
them again he must and would ; he would again hear 
that fairy music, that siren’s song which had be- 
witched him. No reasoning of Patrice’s could shake 
his determination ; on the contrary, it only seemed to 
confirm it. 

‘‘ My dear friend,” said the doctor, at last, fairly 
angry, allow me to give you a bit of advice. It is 
to keep carefully quiet about all this beautiful adven- 


A Prodigious Adventure, 27 

ture, if you do not wish to be sent straight to Cha- 
renton ! How can you expect people in their senses 
to believe for one moment in such wild tales ? ” 

“ I have no intention of confiding them to any one 
whatever, you excepted,” cried Ren6, not less exas- 
perated. “ But, since you are so clever, wait, do me 
the favour to explain to me whence this ring comes, 
if it was not Undine that gave it to me. 


CHAPTER III. 


THE RING. 

Rene Caoudal held out to the doctor his left 
hand, on which glittered a pearl with a superb set- 
ting. Stephen Patrice sat silent for a long time, his 
eyes riveted on the ring, puzzled, perplexed, with 
a hundred contradictory theories chasing one another 
through his brain. Although reason and common 
sense seemed on the side of doubt, he felt sure, in his 
character of physician, that Rene was not delirious. 
That he was speaking in his sleep could not for 
a moment be admitted, or that he was inventing the 
story; his frankness and loyalty to his friend were 
too thoroughly understood. But over and above the 
moral testimony of his young friend, there remained 
this strange token — this ring — which, even in ordi- 
nary circumstances, would have struck the most 
indifferent observer. The unique beauty of the 
pearl constituted a mystery in itself. 

Whence came it ? Its purity, its shape, its size, 
its incomparable perfection, proved it to be a royal 
jewel, a historic ornament of priceless value, which' 



Stephen Patrice examining the Ring. 


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The Ring, 29 

could not have been stolen and concealed without a 
noise being made about it, much less worn by the 
thief, without being very quickly traced. It must 
have been celebrated, described minutely in the ar- 
chives of some old mansion. The mounting was, if 
possible, more rnarvellous than the pearl. Cleopatra 
herself could not have dissolved and swallowed one 
more choice. Patrice was somewhat of a relic- 
hunter, like many others in these modern times ; 
but he had, in a degree that few others can have, 
that artistic sense so common among children in his 
birthplace, the south of France, where it seems as if 
sculpture, painting, music, singing, eloquence, and 
the belles-lettres grow spontaneously. He instinc- 
tively recognized a work of art, and experience had 
taught him to class it with certainty, to attribute to 
it, without hesitation, a date, a school, a country. 
But here, with this chef-d'oeuvre in miniature before 
him, he was completely nonplussed. Was it Greek 
art ? Doubtless. But Greek, strictly speaking, like 
the words of the young girl and the old man, which 
sounded like Greek to Rene, “though he did not 
understand a word,” it certainly was not. He had 
never seen this style of ornamentation anywhere. 
It did not belong to the dawn of Grecian art, nor to 
its meridian, nor to its decline ; he could find none of 
the essential features of the Doric, Ionic, Corinthian 
or Neo-Greek schools. He could not give a name 


30 


The Crystal City, 


to the marvellously chiselled faces in the setting 
right and left of the imperial pearl. 

No animal, no bird, no kind of fossil reembodied 
by science was represented here. The chimera, that 
strange creation of the ancient imagination, could 
not have suggested the design, for the singular 
feature of it was the expression, even more than 
the form, of the face. Whether it was the likeness 
of a veritable creature, or the capricious symbol of 
an obsolete creed, it was impossible to say. The 
material, of which the mounting was composed, 
was another subject of perplexity. It was impos- 
sible to decide whether it was metal, wood, or 
stone. One would judge it to be metal. But was 
it gold — silver — platinum.? No. An unknown com- 
bination .? Perhaps. It resembled nothing he had 
ever seen. It was altogether an enigma. Between 
the artist that had conceived it and those who at 
the moment contemplated it there was an abyss, — 
an abyss of time, of space, of religion, of thought, 
of genius, of race, of language, of manners. That 
was evident. 

“ One might think that it had fallen from another 
planet,” said the doctor, involuntarily. 

You think so ! ” said Rene, “ I felt sure I had n’t 
dreamt it. But whether I was inclined to believe or 
disbelieve it, of one thing I am now perfectly certainy 
— that what I have told you of my doings has been 


31 


The Ring, 

seen and lived ; I am as certain of it as I am of my 
accident on board the Hercules, and of my own iden- 
tity. There ! you may say what you like to the 
contrary. If I had any doubts, what can one say 
in answer to this tangible proof.?” 

“ I don’t know,” said the doctor, thoughtfully. 

If only there were an inscription,” added Rene, 
turning the ring about. 

An inscription ! At the time in which this 
jewel was engraved I should be surprised to hear if 
they had recourse to our means of writing. Believe 
me, the arrangement of these faces constituted in 
itself a phrase legible to her for whom the ring was 
destined.” 

^*To her for whom it was destined,” repeated 
Rene, in a dreamy voice. “Ah, if you had but 
seen her, Stephen, you would no longer be surprised 
at the ring, wonderful as it is ! ” 

“ Possibly,” said the doctor, nodding his head ; 
“ but, if I may say all I think about it, I should not 
like to see you musing too much about these experi- 
ences of yours. I do not pretend to explain that 
which I do not understand, and I do not deny that 
which is beyond me. There are mysteries that may 
be good and safe to sound ; but this does not appear 
to be one of them. Siren or mortal, goddess or 
daughter of the Evil One, I do not admire your 
goddess with her mysterious beverages and her enig- 


32 


The Crystal City. 


matical hospitality. Take my advice ; put this ring 
away somewhere, or, better still, throw it into the 
sea, like the ancient who must have done so long 
ago, as a propitiatory offering to the gods ; turn 
your back resolutely on these reminiscences which 
can only trouble your brain ; cease to look into an 
unknown sphere, and fix your thoughts on things 
nearer home.” 

‘‘Never!” cried the midshipman, indignantly. 
“Never! I How can I forget this vision No, 
my friend, I would not if I could. Look here ! 
You speak of throwing it away and yet you are 
fascinated by it ; you can’t take your eyes from it ; 
your hand is held out, in spite of yourself, to take it 
again. Never mind, the power which ordains that I 
shall find these mysterious beings again, the attrac- 
tion which draws me towards them, is more imperi- 
ous than you imagine. I mnst see them again and 
their submarine home. I must learn their secret, 
and obtain their confidence, so that I may establish 
communication with them.” 

“You must, above all, get up your strength,” said 
the doctor, a little alarmed at this outbreak of excite- 
ment. “ You should go to your mother and get 
better. Do you not see that all you have gone 
through has tried you severely, and, before attempt- 
ing any fresh adventures, it will be necessary to get 
a little flesh on your bones .? ” 


The Ring, 


33 


^‘That is true,” said Rene, seriously. To suc- 
ceed in any enterprise whatever, one must first make 
provision in the shape of health and strength. I 
have a good mind to ask for leave, and to get away 
to ‘The Poplars,’ as soon as I am free.” 

“ ‘The Poplars ! ’ ” repeated the doctor, in a melan- 
choly tone. “ Ah, Rene ! how is it possible that any 
other image can efface the one you will find there 1 ” 

“What,” said the middy, in an amused tone, “are 
you going to take part with the rest } You mean 
Helene. How many times shall we have to beg our 
friends not to try to make us happy in spite of 
ourselves ! ” 

“Your mother would be so pleased to call her 
daughter.” 

“ But that matter is settled,” said Rene, laughing. 
“ Don’t you see that it is absolutely impossible ? 
Even if I could adorn with idealistic virtues the 
playfellow with whom I have grown up, with whom 
I have exchanged hard knocks on the head, and 
uncomplimentary home -truths, I dare not propose 
such a thing to her. Poor Helene ! she deserves a 
better fate than to be forced into a distasteful mar- 
riage. But, happily, she is not the sort of girl to 
allow any one to choose for her. And besides,” 
added he, not without a spark of malice, “unless I 
am much mistaken, she will not have to go far to 
find an admirer far more satisfactory than I.” 


34 


The Crystal City, 


“ By the way,” said the doctor, abruptly changing 
the subject, “ have you heard from Kermadec? ” 

“Certainly,” said Caoudal. “The lad was allowed 
to see me as soon as he arrived at the hospital. 
He has even more need of rest and change than I. 
Do you know what I Ve been thinking of.? To take 
him with me to ‘The Poplars.’ He is alone in the 
world. Mother and Helene know him through my 
letters, and I am sure that he would enjoy himself 
there.” 

“A capital idea,” said the doctor. “ If it were not 
in your service that he was wounded, it is not for 
want of wishing it. His one grief was at having 
survived you, as he thought, and to have done noth- 
ing to save you. You have made a devoted friend 
there.” 

“With very little trouble, I am sure. But the 
friendship is reciprocated. Kermadec has rare 
qualities, but the simplicity of a child. His naivete 
and credulousness expose him to the worst influ- 
ences.” 

“ Those he will meet at ‘ The Poplars ’ can only be 
of the very best,” said the doctor. “ It is an under- 
stood thing, then. With his consent, which will not 
be difficult to get, we will ask for a double furlough. 
You go to recruit your strength together in the 
country air, and I will find time to pay a flying visit 
to ‘The Poplars.’ Do you know that yesterday I was 


The Ring, 


35 


ordered to serve on anything but a cheerful errand ? 
— the mission of going to inform your mother — ” 
“That her Rene had served as breakfast for the 
crabs ?” said the midshipman, in a tone which belied 
the levity of his words. “ Poor mother ! Bah ! Let 
us think no more of that. It is all over now. Make 
haste and get your furlough, and come and join us 
as soon as you can.” 


CHAPTER IV. 


“the poplars.” 

A FORTNIGHT later, on a smooth lawn in the beau- 
tiful grounds of “The Poplars,” gently sloping 
towards the banks of the Loire, might have been 
seen a party of young girls in light dresses, and 
young men in striped flannels, engaged in a game of 
tennis. At a little distance in the background, near 
a red brick house, which had no pretension to be 
called a mansion, but which was of the simple and 
beautiful proportions of a comfortable modern dwel- 
ling, the older people were chatting round a tea- 
table. The mistress of the house, with her sweet 
face, and beautiful white hair, was occupied in pay- 
ing hospitable attention to the wants of everybody. 
Madame Caoudal was radiant. She had her Rene 
with her, the object of her continual thoughts, her 
pride, her hope, the only one spared to her of all 
those dearest to her. 

By a happy chance the cruel- extremes of mourn- 
ing and of joy had been spared her motherly heart. 
No one had been in a hurry to impart to the poor 
widow the death of her only son ; so that she heard. 


The Poplarsr 


37 


at the same time, of his accident and of the unex- 
pected turn of fortune which restored him to her. 
Even with this happy daiouement, she had been 
much shaken, and her young favourite and counsellor, 
Helene, had much difficulty in cheering and comfort- 
ing her. The tearful mother had exclaimed against 
the cruel sea, which had robbed her of so much, and 
which would hardly let her keep her only son. But 
Helene had hastened to point out to her that Rene 
was, after all, safe and sound, and, for that matter, 
to die in bed is less glorious than at sea (witness 
those neighbours of theirs upon whom their roof had 
suddenly fallen one night), and that it was all the 
greater pleasure to see him again after his terrible 
adventure. Whether her reasoning was bad or good, 
it succeeded in raising her aunt’s spirits ; and, more- 
over, when she saw her Rene again, the best and 
handsomest son in the world, according to the excel- 
lent woman, she forgot her troubles. Tall, athletic, 
with a proud poise of the head, a martial bearing, 
frank and commanding eyes, his movements supple 
and graceful, Rene Caoudal was, in truth, a fine young 
sailor ; one to satisfy the most exacting motherly 
pride. He returned, it is true, somewhat thin and 
pale, but that did not make him the less interesting 
to the young folks assembled to do him honour. On 
the contrary, among the tennis players, there was a 
remarkably increased assiduity in according him a 


38 


The Crystal City, 


gracious welcome. But apart from the ordinary 
courtesy due from him to all the guests as son of 
the house, not one of them could flatter herself that 
she received particular attention from him. In vain 
the freshest of toilets had been put in requisition ; in 
vain the most flattering words and rippling laughter 
had been discharged at him ; they read in his pre- 
occupied look, his voice, his gestures, in his manner 
altogether, a sort of absent-mindedness. 

He is n’t like the Rene that he used to be,” said 
little Felicie Arglade, between two blows of her 
racquet. “ He is changed somehow on the voyage ! 
He has no eyes or ears for any one but Hdene.” 

After such terrible dangers,” put in Doctor 
Patrice, quietly, “with whom should he wish to talk 
but his cousin, his old playmate ? ” 

“For my part, I have never believed in these mar- 
riages between cousins,” said Felicie, in a still quieter 
voice. 

“ But why are you in such a hurry to marry 
them ? ” inquired Mademoiselle Luzan, a tall, fair, 
sweet looking girl with a grave expression. “ If I 
know Helene, M. Caoudal is the last person in the 
world it would enter her head to marry.” 

“ Why are they always whispering in corners 
then ? ” retorted Felicie, somewhat softened. 

“They are not whispering!” protested Mademoi- 
selle Luzan ; “ they are chatting confidentially. And 


39 


“ The Poplars^ 

what is there remarkable in that ? Do you not know 
that M. Caoudal has just narrowly escaped death ? 
Would n’t you, if you were Hdene, be anxious to 
know every detail of his adventure ? ” 

In reality, without any one being able to accuse 
them of whisperings as Fdicie said, it was evident 
that Helene and Rene had plenty to say to each 
other ; and it was not, in truth, surprising that those 
who were not in their confidence should infer some- 
thing strange. And how came it that Madame 
Caoudal, who had heard the whole story from him, 
and Stephen Patrice, who had heard it first, were 
neither of them recipients of these later confidences ? 
Why was Madame Caoudal so radiant and Doctor 
Patrice so doleful ? Was it that one of them saw 
the realization of her hopes, and the other, that 
which he had so long feared ? 

This accident has touched their hearts and drawn 
them together,” said the good lady. Sometimes 
good comes out of evil.” 

“ Undine will have to give way to Hd^ne,” thought 
the doctor, sighing. ‘‘ Well, so much the better ! It 
wouldn’t do to play the part of the dog in the 
manger, and one ought to rejoice in one’s friends’ 
happiness.” They were both a little hasty in their 
conclusions. 

The subject of these confidences between the 
cousins, which they pursued in the woods, at the 


40 


The Crystal City, 


river bank, in the drawing-room, and at tennis, was 
the inexhaustible discussion of the details of Rent’s 
adventures. On his return home, in the midst of 
the excitement, and the tearful joy of his mother, he 
had not been able to restrain himself from telling the 
whole story to her and to his cousin. For the sub- 
ject had been tacitly ignored between him and the 
doctor, Caoudal having felt that his friend, if not 
hostile or sceptical, showed at least marked repug- 
nance to encouraging him to speak of.it. 

As time went on, he became more and more ani- 
mated and possessed by it, and, as the need of speak- 
ing and acting became more imperious, he showed 
that his heart was filled with thoughts of his myste- 
rious acquaintances. Madame Caoudal appeared not 
incredulous, but displeased, cold, and even severe ; 
she begged him seriously never to mention the sub- 
ject in her presence again. Helene never said a 
word, but her sparkling eyes spoke volumes ; and 
when Rene, disappointed and perplexed, sought sup- 
port and sympathy from her, she made him a sign to 
change the subject. Later, when they were seated 
under the great poplars which gave the name to 
their home, she explained her attitude : 

“No need to torment auntie with the account of 
this wonderful adventure, or to let her brood over 
the projects that I understand,” said she. “You 
know what a grudge she bears to the sea ; it is 



Wf////A 


|Hi 

il 


fifKA 

jjL i| 



The Cousins. 



“ The Poplars! 


41 


like a personal hatred between her and the liquid 
element. I believe she really thinks it a cursed 
power for evil. After the great sacrifice which she 
made in allowing you to enter the navy, we ought 
not to distress her any more than can be helped. 
If she believed, if it were possible for her to realize, 
that the depths of the sea, as well as its immensity, 
attract and claim you, that you feel called to the 
perilous honour of exploring unknown, mysterious, 
it may be deceptive regions, she, poor, dear soul, 
could not live. Spare her that distress. 

“ She has forbidden you to speak to her of such 
things. Obey her implicitly. As for me, I enter 
henceforth into all your plans ; you know I have 
always shared your ambitions. Sometimes, nay of- 
ten, I dream that I, too, pursue the glorious career 
of a sailor ; I feel through my hair the vivifying air 
of the vast expanse ; I fancy myself commanding a 
vessel ; I see myself facing, with our brave seamen, 
the fury of the gale, landing on unknown islands, 
discovering new plants, new animals, new wonders, 
changing the aspect of geographical charts — and I 
wake — Helene Rieux, as before! 

Do not think that I complain of my lot ! But I 
admire and revere the glorious profession of my 
grandfather, of my uncle, and of yourself, and I 
shall be as proud of your exploits as if they were 
my own. All this is enough to show you that for 


42 


The Crystal City, 


these projects, still unformed, still indistinct, you 
should not seek any confidant except myself. You 
cannot be too careful. One only understands per- 
fectly what one loves ; and I feel strongly, myself, 
that nothing but a peculiar, hereditary influence 
could induce me to believe unhesitatingly and with 
absolute certainty in your veracity. Like other peo- 
ple, I see much that is incredible in your adventure, 
and yet I believe in it. That which convinces me is 
not, as with Stephen, my confidence in your good 
faith, the conviction of your clear-headedness, or 
even the proof of the ring. No, it is ‘the eye of 
faith ’ voila tout. It seems to me that it must be ; 
because when one is a born explorer, one goes 
straight at the discovery ; because you have been 
called to see that which others could not see. In 
jshort, I believe, because I believe ! " 

Nothing could be more satisfactory than a confi- 
dant of this sort, and Rene was not less anxious to 
tell than she to listen. Away with the false conclu- 
sions of Madame Caoudal, of Dr. Patrice and of other 
friends ! Hd^ne and Rene, like accomplices, contin- 
ually felt the need of some mysterious confabulation. 
Either Ren6 had omitted to give in detail some one 
perfection of his goddess, or else Helene had some 
new hypothesis to suggest, or wished to be told over 
again some forgotten circumstance. And, above all, 
there was the increasing importance of the question *. 


The Poplars^ 


43 




How to find the enchanting abode of these august 
personages again? How to find the time, the means, 
of attempting it ? How to do all without awaken- 
ing any suspicion on the part of Madame Gaoudal ? 
Helene was firmly resolved on two points : to spare 
Rene’s mother all uneasiness, all useless anxiety ; 
and to encourage, as far as lay in her power, that 
which she considered to be the fulfilment of a 
duty, a chosen mission. 


CHAPTER V. 


THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. 

Rene was too clear-headed, and had been too long 
accustomed to weigh things in his mind with math- 
ematical accuracy, not to have endeavoured to ac- 
count for his immersion and subsequent adventure 
by simple and natural causes. He started with the 
following premises : First, I am not the sport of a 
hallucination, since I have in my possession a price- 
less and unique ring. Second, The old man and 
the young girl whom I saw in the wonderful grotto 
were not phantoms, because there are no such 
things as phantoms. Third, They are living be- 
ings, placed, by some combination of circumstances 
of which I am ignorant, in extraordinarily peculiar 
conditions of existence, at some hundreds of feet 
beneath the surface of the ocean, since the marine 
charts show in this region of the Atlantic a depth of 
not more than one thousand feet. And the habita- 
tion of these real and living, but abnormal beings } 
Clearly a grotto, or series of grottoes, extending 
under the sea, and borrowing the necessary respir- 


The Plan of Campaign. 45 

able air from air-holes on the top of some rocks on a 
neighbouring island. 

Such was the only reasonable conclusion he could 
arrive at. And it brought him by an easy transition 
to the question as to whether chance had not put 
him in the track of a great discovery, or at least 
of a great historical verification, — that of the ancient 
continent, now lost sight of under the ocean, which 
the tradition of the earliest times locates between 
Africa and South America ; a sort of huge island, 
formerly analogous to Australia, long since sub- 
merged, and of which Madeira, Teneriffe, the 
Azores, and the Antilles are the only remains or 
landmarks now visible. As to the existence of this 
Atlantic continent, on the other side of the Pillars 
of Hercules (that is to say the Straits of Gibraltar), 
and of its disappearance during some great cata- 
clysm, the historians, geographers, and philosophers 
of antiquity are all agreed. Plato speaks of it often 
in his writings. He gives us the source of the tra- 
dition which he hands down, and which is assuredly 
not without authority : it was his granduncle Solon, 
the Athenian legislator, who received from the 
Egyptian priests of SaYs a description of Atlantide, 
as they called this mysterious land. 

To what branch of the human race did the 
Atlantes belong.^ On this point, tradition is less 
clear. Some have thought that they were an indig- 


46 


The Crystal City, 


enous race which probably invaded Europe (that is 
to say Greece), and were opposed by the feeble 
resistance of the Pelasgi, the ancestors of the 
Greeks. Others believe, on the contrary, that 
Atlantide was a Greek colony, perhaps one of those 
founded by Jason and his companions on their search 
for the Golden Fleece. But all these writers are 
agreed in stating that Atlantide disappeared some 
thousands of years before the present era, and that 
the shallows, the banks of marine grass known by 
the name of The Sea of Sargassos,” the peaks and 
the islands of this region, are, in some sort, the ruins 
of a submerged continent. 

So much for the summary, but positive, indications 
gleaned by Rene from history. He knew, moreover, 
that the navigators of the fifteenth century believed 
in the existence of Atlantide. Christopher Columbus, 
for one, endeavoured to find his way to the Indies 
by going westward, with the conviction that he was 
sure to find, at various distances apart, the islands 
surviving from the great continent, which would 
serve him as places where he might put into port 
by the way. The discovery of the Azores and the 
Antilles justified, in a great measure, this idea, based, 
as it was, on traditional geography. 

All the soundings made during the last half cen- 
tury, notably those by Admiral Fleuriot de Langle, 
in the part of the Atlantic between the twelfth and 


47 


The Plan of Campaign, 

sixtieth degrees west longitude, show, moreover, 
a region literally “paved” with shallows, reefs, and 
sand-banks. In short, the actual conclusions drawn 
from the physiography of the globe forbade him to 
doubt any longer the possibility, and even the proba- 
bility, of these facts relative to Atlantide and its 
disappearance. Considerable changes have been 
and still are produced, under our own eyes, in the 
configuration of sea and land, such as the sundering 
of the land at the Straits of Dover, which is of com- 
paratively modern date. The coast of Normandy, 
too, was encroached upon by the sea, shortly be- 
fore the Carlovingian era, and nothing was left 
above high-water mark but the Channel Islands, 
and, even in our own day, the Island of Santorin, 
in the middle of the Mediterranean, has disappeared 
from view. 

Then new islands have appeared, while, in the far 
east, frightful inundations have changed, in a few 
days, the physiognomy of the Japanese Archipelago. 
It is well known, also, that America was in primitive 
times much less extensive than it is now ; that the 
enormous basin of the Amazon, that of La Plata, 
Florida, Patagonia, Louisiana, and Texas, are lands 
but recently abandoned by the ocean. In a word, 
there are endless proofs in evidence of the fact that 
the surface of the globe is ceaselessly changing, 
sometimes by the slow and continued action of winds 


48 


The Crystal City, 


and waves, sometimes by the sudden effect of some 
great local disturbance. 

Rene was able, therefore, without imprudence, to 
admit as certain the fact that an Atlantic country 
had been submerged beneath the ocean, and to con- 
nect this historical known quantity with the indel- 
ible remembrance of his submarine sojourn near the 
Azores. The more he looked into the subject, the 
more sure he felt that the old man and the young 
girl were Atlantes, veritable Atlantes in flesh and 
blood, surviving the wreck of their country. How.^^ 
By what mysterious means } By what refined arti- 
fices } By what superhuman power } He could not 
tell, and he would not risk useless hypotheses in this 
regard. But he was certain of one thing ; what he 
had seen once he was determined to see again ; to 
bring to light this mystery; to elucidate, perhaps, 
a great geographical problem. 

Why not, after all } Why not embark voluntarily, 
systematically, and with his eyes open, on this voy- 
age which a sea wave had already unconsciously 
accomplished for him } Why not descend once 
more of his own accord to the scene he had left in 
an inanimate condition, and come and go at his own 
pleasure } Rene made up his mind to attempt it. 
And so, as he was accustomed to do thoroughly 
what he did at all, he asked himself, to begin with, 
by what means he could exchange ideas #^ith these 


49 


The Plan of Campaigii. 

Atlantes, supposing he were fortunate enough to 
find them. At any price, he must avoid the blunder 
of knowing that they were discussing him, without 
being able to understand what they said. What 
language did they speak The conviction was 
impressed more and more upon him that it was 
ancient Greek. 

This conviction was corroborated by their sur- 
roundings, their furniture, by the character of their 
garb and their attitudes, and became a certainty one 
evening when he was talking to himself, aloud, about 
that which occupied his thoughts night and day. 
He had just mechanically articulated some of the 
sounds he remembered to have heard in the grotto : 

Pat evy agathoSy tJmgater!' The next thing to do 
was to hunt up his old classic school-books, to open 
the Iliad and the Odyssey, and to search feverishly 
for these same words. 

All at once scraps of Greek, long dormant in his 
memory, awoke from their sleep. The old roots 
of Claude Lancelot shone before him, in blazing 
characters, and he surprised himself muttering, as 
in former days: ^^Pater^ father; apater, without 
a father ; agathoSy good, brave in war ; thugater, 
the daughter is called — ” Oh, charming roots ! 
What delicious rhapsodies! How Rene enjoyed 
these phrases that he used to anathematize in his 
schoolboy days 1 He found out now what had 


50 


The Crystal City. 


made the study of Greek so difficult, before he had 
heard the accent of his host and hostess, — musical 
cadences as different as could be from the stammer- 
ing attempts at pronunciation at college. But, hence- 
forth, he would know better. By comparing other 
words of the same order as those with whose 
rhythm his ears were familiar, he could form an 
approximate idea of the way to pronounce them, and 
from that he was able to proceed to other classes 
of words, related to the first in various directions. 
He soon got as far as creating for himself, in every 
instance, a system of accentuation, and, as the 
result was harmonious, he concluded that it must be 
the right one. At the same time, he threw himself, 
heart and soul, into the study of the vocabulary, of 
syntax and flexions of every kind. And, above all, 
he attacked the roots, those delightful roots, which 
are the key to the language, and of which Rollin 
justly says that they impart “an incredible facility 
to the intelligence of authors.” 

He was now always to be found, book in hand, 
repeating to himself one or other of these simple 
phrases : “ Meli^ honey, sweet to the taste. Melissa^ 
mellifluous insect.” He could not keep up these 
exercises without H^ene’s remarking it. She 
wished to know what it was all about; Rend ex- 
plained, and, forthwith, she also became enamoured 
of the study of Greek, and, like a gardener, busied 


The Plan of Campaign. 51 

herself with these fascinating roots, and rivalled 
Rene himself in her ardent cultivation of them. 

They never came across one another, without fir- 
ing off a volley at each other. Greek seemed to be 
in the air. In the corridors, in the garden, in the 
field, the winged words flew about : Aazzdy I 
breathe, I aspire, etc.” So much so, that Ker- 
madec, in his turn, wishing to imitate his officer in 
everything, and gifted, moreover, with a prodigious 
memory, caught the contagion. He was heard, mut- 
tering to himself, as he polished the copper pans : 

Agele, great drove of oxen.” Doctor Patrice, 
though protesting against it for form’s sake, allowed 
himself to be attacked by the epidemic, and could 
not resist the satisfaction of showing that he had 
not entirely forgotten his classical studies. Madame 
Caoudal, alone, remained impervious to the general 
craze, and asked, throwing up her hands, what was 
the matter with them all, that they spoke from 
morning to night in such a language. 

Meanwhile, Rene did not neglect the practical 
part of his programme. He surrounded himself 
with all the charts and documents which might help 
him to solve the problem. He had, on mature 
reflection, delayed his projects. The first question 
was, not to find associates, forces, materials neces- 
sary for the execution of so fantastic an enterprise ; 
he must get an extension of leave and permission 


52 


The Crystal City, 


from his mother to spend the time of that leave at 
sea. During this interval, he received his pro- 
motion to the rank of lieutenant. This was no more 
than his due, since, for the last year, his name had 
figured on the roll for promotion, for “ distinguished 
services.” The first and immediate effect of this 
promotion was to facilitate the accomplishment of 
his projects, and he obtained, without difficulty, the 
necessary three months’ freedom. 

Madame Caoudal’s consent was more difficult to 
get. But What cannot one achieve with a little per- 
severance and diplomacy.^ Worked upon by Helene, 
the good lady was induced to confess that, after all, 
if Rene wished to employ his leisure in taking a 
voyage of discovery on his own account, there was 
no reason why she should oppose it. The young 
officer now began with all speed to prepare the ways 
and means for his voyage. He had for the last 
three weeks been in regular correspondence with 
some one unknown to the rest of the household. 
The faithful Kermadec carried the letters to the 
post-office in the tawn. For this purpose he went 
continually backwards and forwards between Lorient 
and “The Poplars,” proud of serving his officer, big 
with importance, ready to be cut in pieces sooner 
than betray a secret, about which, by the way, he 
knew nothing. It ceased to be a secret when, one 
morning, Rene, seating himself at the breakfast- 


The Plan of Campaign, 53 

table, handed his mother an open letter, which he 
begged her to read. The Prince of Monte Cristo 
had invited him to spend a few weeks on board his 
yacht CinderelUiy in order to discuss some new and 
curious ideas he had formed concerning the flora of 
the African coast. Everybody knew that the yacht 
Cinderella had been engaged for several years in 
sounding in shallow waters. It is a superb boat, 
commanded by the proprietor in person, and splen- 
didly furnished for the researches he pursues. Many 
celebrated savants have received his hospitality on 
board the vessel, and have reported their explora- 
tions to the Academies, and registered them in the 
papers. An invitation to spend several weeks on 
board so illustrious a yacht could not fail to be 
considered by Madame Caoudal as a great compli- 
ment to her boy. 

She certainly did sigh at thought of his sacrificing 
the rest which he seemed to need ; but the satisfac- 
tion of knowing that Rene was about to distinguish 
himself in a pacific enterprise softened the pang of 
parting. 

She therefore, without much persuasion, gave the 
required assent. A week later, the young lieutenant, 
escorted by Kermadec, took the train for Lisbon, 
where the Cinderella awaited him. 


CHAPTER VI. 


THE YACHT “ CINDERELLA.” 

The Cinderella (Proprietor and Commander Hered- 
itary Prince Christian of Monte Cristo, the twenty- 
sixth of his name) was an auxiliary yacht of five 
hundred and thirty tons. She was schooner rigged, 
but had also a single screw with engines of three 
hundred and fifty horse-power, and carried sufficient 
coal to enable her to steam at full speed for twenty 
days. Her speed by steam in fair weather was 
about a dozen knots ; but the speed could be con- 
siderably augmented by sailing when the weather 
was favourable. The exterior of the vessel showed 
a pointed hull, long and light, suggesting the motion 
of a well-bred horse. The fine proportions of her 
rigging, the perfect adjustment of her timbers, which 
enhanced a simplicity full of elegance, struck Rene’s 
practised eye at the first glance, inclined though he 
was by his profession to despise mere pleasure boats 
as inferior productions. To all appearances, the 
crew, in its perfect discipline, was copied from that 
of a man-of-war. The young lieutenant noted with 


The Yacht “ Cinderella. 


satisfaction the frank and open faces of the men, an 
unfailing characteristic of men-of-war’s men. 

The planks of the deck shone with cleanliness and 
all the brass was as bright as gold. The officer 
who received the prince’s guest was less satisfactory 
than the rest of the yacht. He introduced himself 
as Captain Sacripanti, second in command of the 
yacht. He was a little man, short and stout, with 
black hair shining with pomade, a showy necktie, 
a double watch-chain ornamented with lockets, and 
his fingers covered with rings ; he looked in fact 
more like a Neapolitan valet than a seaman. His 
accent, too, was that of a flunkey. He was one of 
those people of doubtful origin, who speak very 
badly, and with a coarse voice, all the languages of 
the Mediterranean countries. 

Bowing very low, and showing a double row of 
very white teeth, he offered to conduct the young 
lieutenant to the commander, — an offer at once 
accepted. On going aft, Rene passed, one after 
the other, a saloon, a smoking-room, a dining-saloon, 
and a library luxuriously furnished. His guide 
knocked discreetly at the door of a state-room. 
“ Come in,” cried a voice of thunder. The “ second 
in command ” slid open the door in its groove and 
effaced himself to allow Rene to pass. '' Lieutenant 
Caoudal,” he announced in a solemn voice. Upon 
this, a tall flgure emerged from the depths of a 


56 


The Crystal City, 


monumental arm-chair, and, throwing on a round 
table the newspaper which he was reading with the 
aid of eye-glasses, came, with outstretched hand, to 
greet him : 

My dear M. Caoudal, how pleased I am to see 
you ! ” he cried, effusively. And he pressed the 
young man’s hand within his own, as if he were 
greeting a long-lost friend. He almost embraced 
him. Without manifesting any surprise, Rene ex- 
pressed to him the pleasure he felt, on his side, at 
making the acquaintance of the Prince of Monte 
Cristo. 

“ Well ! do you know, I see we shall get to be 
as thick as two thieves, upon my word,” cried the 
prince in an explosive manner, when Rend had fin- 
ished speaking. “To begin with, I must tell you I 
am a very outspoken person. If people please me, I 
tell them so to their faces. If not, — well, I am 
equally plain with them. And I like you, — I like 
you very much. I am positively enchanted to make 
your acquaintance ; enchanted to have you on board 
for a time ; enchanted to find that our work interests 
you, and that you wish to take part in it. I hope 
you will enjoy being with us,” continued he with 
great volubility, paying not the slightest attention to 
the few polite words the lieutenant felt bound to 
utter. “ If you are not satisfied with anything, you 
must tell me so, plainly, and I will endeavour to 


The Yacht “ Cinderella. 


57 


alter, — not my yacht, that would not be practicable, 
but, at least, I would see that things are rearranged 
to suit your taste. I wonder how you would like to 
look over my little wooden shoe, as I call my yacht. 
Ha! ha! ha!” 

Falling in with his host’s noisy, hilarious mood, 
Rene declared that he was quite ready to look over 
the “shoe.” The prince, putting on a huge cap, 
led the way, and showed him every corner of it, from 
the deck to the hold, not omitting any detail. Rene 
was bound to admit that everything, outside ^and in, 
was perfect of its kind. Nothing was wanting which 
could be useful for the scientific work that the prince 
had undertaken ; photographic studio, carpenter’s 
shop, forge, physical and chemical laboratory, all 
seemed admirably organized. Two or three dozen 
workmen, directed by foremen, occupied these vari- 
ous workshops. The prince said in his guests ear, 
in a stentorian whisper, that they were the pick of 
jolly fellows, and he “liked them extremely; other- 
wise he would tell them so squarely, and show them 
the way out.” 

His highness’s appearance was truly extraordi- 
nary. Physically, he was a veritable Colossus ; tall, 
broad in proportion, — aldermanic proportion, — very 
red in the face, with prominent eyes and a large 
aquiline nose, or, rather, enormous beak, which gave 
him a fantastic resemblance to a parrot. He had a 


58 


The Crystal City. 


ringing voice, and gesticulated a great deal; his 
laugh was Homeric in its amplitude ; and his man- 
ners, as we have seen, were exuberantly cordial. He 
affected an openness, a frankness bordering on blunt- 
ness. An incessant talker, he used a hundred words 
where ten would have served. But what struck Rene 
at the outset was the philosophical disdain he pro- 
fessed on all occasions for the sovereign rank to 
which he was born. It is true his principality con- 
sisted of nothing more than an islet, two or three 
hundred acres in extent, whose chief industry and 
sole source of revenue was an argentiferous lead mine, 
worked by seven or eight hundred convicts, which he 
let to a neighbouring nation. If he was to be be- 
lieved, he cared for nothing in the world but personal 
merit. He affirmed that the meanest scavenger, if 
intellectually endowed, was worth more to him than 
an emperor on his throne. One would have thought 
that he wished, by this ostentatious display of princi- 
ples, to excuse himself for having been born some 
fifty years previously heir to a large fortune as well 
as a princely crown. At least he had the good taste 
to spend a good third of it in useful scientific work. 

“ I look upon myself as a steward,” he volunteered. 

My fortune is not my own. I only manage it for 
the benefit of those who have none. As to my name ! 
bah ! what is that } As the immortal Shakespeare 
says, ‘A rose by any other name would smell as 


The Yacht “ Cinderella '. 


59 


sweet.’ I protest to you that I attach no importance 
whatever to it, and that I would as soon go by the 
name of Big John, as Monte Cristo.” But he never 
missed an opportunity of reminding one of the twelve 
hundred years of ancestors more or less authentic. 
In five minutes Rene knew him through and through. 
Ridiculous though he was, he could not dislike him, 
and the prospect of spending a few weeks on board 
so charming a vessel was not to be despised. The 
prince insisted on himself showing him to his cabin. 
It was most elegant and commodious, and opened on 
the library. He begged the young fellow to consider 
himself at home, and to tell him if he would like 
anything altered to suit his convenience. Ren6 
assured him in all sincerity that he had never been 
so comfortably lodged, and they went up on deck the 
best friends in the world. 

The object of the present voyage of the Cinderella 
was to sound some of the Atlantic shoals, and Rene 
lost no time in asking to be shown the apparatus to 
be used for the purpose. The investigation had an 
interest for him little dreamt of by Monte Cristo, 
who took him at once to the place where it was 
standing ready for use. It was an enormous block 
of lead, weighing twenty tons ; round its upper 
extremity was coiled a solid rope of measuring silk, 
which Monte Cristo pronounced, not without pride, 
to be five hundred yards in length. 


6o 


The Crystal City, 


“ You see,” said the prince, much pleased at being 
able to play the showman, “ our monstrous plummet 
is hollowed out at the base, and has a coating of 
grease. When it has lain long enough at the bottom 
it is slowly drawn up by means of this windlass ; it 
reappears covered with shells, gravel, grasses, dibris 
of all sorts which it picks up in dragging along at 
the bottom of the sea. It is by studying the nature 
of this debris with the magnifying-glass that we draw 
our conclusions concerning the kinds of vegetable 
and animal life (often new to us) concealed in these 
beds under water.” 

“Indeed!” said Rene, surprised and disappointed, 
“have you no other method of research ? ” 

“ Why, no, my dear fellow I What more would you 
have than a plummet like mine ? What do you find 
defective in it } ” 

“Nothing in itself, certainly. It is a superb 
plummet, but, if I may be permitted to make a sug- 
gestion, it is that another machine, somewhat akin to 
it, be used for examining the sea-bottom.” 

“ But what sort of machine would you suggest ^ 
Would you have me send a photographic camera 
a thousand feet under water ? And by what means, 
may I ask.!*” 

“ A camera no.” 

“ What, then .!*” 

“A man! Yes, I confess, sir, I should not have 















On board the “ Cinderella.” 






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The Yacht Cmderellar 6i 

asked to join in your researches, if I had not in- 
dulged the hope of going myself to the sea-bottom. 
I cling to the hope of seeing, with my own eyes, 
what goes on down there, and all the shells that 
could possibly attach themselves to the largest plum- 
met in the world would tell me absolutely nothing ! 
The least glance in person would serve my purpose.” 

He, he!” and the prince went off in ah explo- 
sion of laughter. I dare say, my young friend ; I, 
too, should like extremely to see, with my own eyes, 
what is going on among the fishes. But just one 
thing stands in my way, you see. It is impossible, 
simply impossible I ” 

“ Why impossible ^ ” 

‘‘For a very good reason ; namely, that we make 
our soundings at such depths that we could not 
possibly provide our divers with a respiratory tube 
long enough, and, if we sent our men to explore the 
depths, what steps could we take to provide them 
with air to breathe ? ” 

Rene reflected a minute before replying. 

“ It is clear that the difficulty of providing respir- 
able air is the only thing that stands in the way,” 
said he, at last. “ Well, if we cannot make a tube 
sufficiently long, we must think of some other expe- 
dient, that ’s all.” 

“ Hum, ha I let us see,” said the prince, crossing 
his arms on his ample chest. 


62 


TIu Crystal City, 


“ Look here ; it will be necessary, according to my 
idea, to contrive a special diving apparatus ; an appa- 
ratus for shoal soundings. If only a supply of respir- 
able air, sufficient to last for three or four hours, 
could be assured to the diver ! Round the suspen- 
sion cable a telephonic wire should be coiled, which 
should keep the explorer in communication with 
those on deck, so that he could be drawn up as soon 
as he gives the word, and, in case he gave no sign of 
life after a given interval, he could be drawn up, with- 
out losing a minute, by means of a steam-engine.” 

“ Do you know, that is the most ingenious plan I 
ever heard of ! ” cried the prince, enchanted, “ only 
we have no such diving apparatus.” 

‘‘That is true.” 

“ What, then } ” 

“We must invent one. Haven’t you here, on 
board, complete workshops, and first-rate work- 
men ? ” 

“ Certainly ; there are none better than mine, I 
flatter myself.” 

“Very well; with your permission, I will at once 
set to work in the library, and begin to work out my 
plan of a diving apparatus, and I hope, before long, 
to make drawings exact enough for your workmen to 
construct a most satisfactory one.” 

“ If you do that, I really must embrace you,” 
cried the prince, enthusiastically, foreseeing, already. 


The Yacht “ Cinderella^ 


63 


the reports that would be addressed to the learned 
societies, and the interest that would be connected 
with his name. “ If you succeed, upon my word ! I 
would willingly give you a year or two’s revenue of 
my principality.” 

I would not ask for so much as that,” said Rene, 
laughingly ; “only allow me to take my first journey 
in it alone, when it is completed, and to choose 
myself the site of my soundings, at least, to begin 
with.” 

“ Assuredly, my dear boy. You shall do just as 
you wish. When will it suit you to begin ? ” 

“As soon as we set out.” 

“ Bravo ! And you wish to sail towards — } ” 

“ I particularly wish to explore the region of the 
Sargassian Sea. When we arrive at the point where 
25° E. longitude crosses 36° N. latitude, we will 
make a halt, and proceed to sound.” 

“Oh! Ah! You have decided ideas; that is clear. 
And what do you expect to discover at that exact 
spot ? Plenty of driftwood, no doubt. What else ? ” 
“ Experience has taught me, indeed, that the sea 
is covered at that spot with a quantity of sea-wrack, 
which the savants call fucus natans, and our sailors, 
very aptly, tropical grapes^ or gulf-wrack. It is a sea 
plant, the stalks of which terminate in watery blad- 
ders. But what does it matter } All that will only 
bore you, I fancy — ” 


64 


The Crystal City. 


“ Indeed, your diving apparatus will disturb such 
a movable carpet. Well, sir, you have only to com- 
mand. The library and the workmen are at your 
disposal, and I will at once give word as to our 
route.” 

And the prince went off, leaving his guest in a 
high state of satisfaction as seeing himself on the 
way to find his mysterious Undine. And, as the 
yacht weighed anchor and set sail, the young officer 
shut himself up in the library, where, thanks to con- 
siderable ability in drawing, and with the help of 
the necessary technical books, Indian ink, coloured 
crayons, compass, and drawing-board, he soon pro- 
duced (on paper at least) the apparatus of which he 
dreamed. He made more than twenty copies before 
succeeding to his satisfaction, and, at last, handed to 
the workmen a plan which seemed to him to unite 
all the wished -for conditions, and, under his direc- 
tions, the work was carried out in the workshop. 

The prince had not overrated the cleverness of his 
men. They were* experienced, practical workmen, 
who were fully qualified to carry out difficult instruc- 
tions. The diving apparatus designed by Rene was 
an immense circular chest, about seven hundred 
cubic feet in size, and, for ballast, was weighted at 
its base with rather more than two tons of lead. 
This base was furnished with steel braces, bound 
by strong bands of steel to suspension grapnels ; 


The Yacht “ Cinderellal 


65 


and these, in their turn, were attached to tackle 
placed on either side of the vessel. A set of pulleys 
and the steam capstan ought to lower and raise the 
apparatus at will. The submersible chest or diving- 
bell, to give it a simpler name, was provided with 
windows and small port-holes of thick but perfectly 
transparent glass, which would allow a ray of electric 
light to shine in all directions, and light up the 
surrounding waters. The source of light was a mov- 
able lamp, hung from the ceiling, and fed for several 
hours by an accumulator. This accumulator was 
fixed in the framework of a soft sofa, which formed, 
with a work-table, two easy chairs, and an ordinary 
chair, the furniture of the cabin. Near to the sofa 
was concealed, at the bottom of a large china vase, a 
bottle with two small tubes, which emitted automati- 
cally a small quantity of oxygen, when the button 
setting it in motion was pressed. 

Opposite to it, and under the cover of a second 
vase, was placed a metallic bath, which Rene, with- 
out saying anything to any one, reserved, to be filled 
with barytic water. It is well known that protoxyde 
of barytes or baryta, discovered by the German 
chemist, Scheele, has the remarkable property of 
absorbing, with extreme precision, the carbonic acid 
of the atmosphere. The young lieutenant was con- 
vinced that a bath of baryta, mixed at need with 
a slight addition of oxygen, ought to be sufficient to 


66 


The Crystal City, 


maintain for many hours the respirable properties 
of the seven hundred cubic feet of air, and experi- 
ence would justify his theory. 

Thus equipped, carefully varnished, and waxed, 
the submersible chamber had the appearance of 
a large and elegant officers’ cabin. It was made 
still more complete by four india-rubber bags sym- 
metrically placed at the bottom, and rounded off, like 
the fingers of a glove ; the bags would allow of 
a human hand, guided by the electric light, to feel 
and seize hold of specimens of gravel, sand, or sub- 
marine plants. Specimens picked up thus, and 
brought into the interior of the chamber, should 
surely have a better chance of arriving safe and 
sound at the surface than by the primitive method 
of laying a coat of grease on the traditional plum- 
met. Finally, in order to achieve the realization of 
the programme Ren6 had traced, a telephonic wire 
inclosed in a thick covering, like that of the suspend- 
ing cable, kept the diver in constant communication 
with the chief mate, posted at the capstan. Any 
appeal could be immediately heard, every order 
executed without possibility of mistake. So that 
even if it should prove less manageable, and less 
sure than an ordinary apparatus, the new diving-bell 
would, in reality, be more supple and obedient than 
any previously in use. 

Once begun, the work advanced with the greatest 


The Yacht “ Cinderella^ 67 

speed. Ren^ giving himself up entirely to the work, 
showed an ardour which astonished and charmed his 
host. By nature and by training the prince was 
indisposed to work, or personal effort of any kind ; 
and though, as a man desirous of being thought up 
to date, and with modern, enlightened views, he was 
ambitious of scientific laurels, it would never have 
entered his head to win them except by proxy. To 
toil and struggle in order to extort one revelation, 
more or less, from Nature, so tenacious of her 
secrets, was all very well for poor devils born and 
reared in the obscure multitude.” To employ the 
capital he hardly knew how to spend, in enterprises 
which would bring him honour without robbing him 
of one minute of his nienteC certainly ! — but to 
give himself personally to it, that was quite another 
affair. So that he was greatly surprised to see 
Rene, at an age when one thinks more of amuse- 
ment than of helping the world’s progress, handling 
plane and saw, like a workingman, plunging his 
hands without hesitation into pitch or nauseous glue, 
working away as if his daily bread depended on it. 
He enjoyed the novelty of it, and, won by the fire 
and activity of his young collaborator, he indulged 
the liveliest hope of seeing his name cited with 
eulogies by learned societies and venerated by 
future generations. 

Meanwhile the yacht arrived at the quiet waters 


68 


The Crystal City, 


of the mysterious sea, and for the last eight hours 
they had contented themselves with tacking about, 
while the workmen put the last touches to their 
work. How often, leaning over the stern-railing, had 
Rene endeavoured to pierce the gray-green depths ! 
Was it indeed here that this enigmatical creature 
breathed, whose clear voice still vibrated in the 
depths of his being } Was it here, under this 
sombre wall with its shining surface, under this 
formidable volume of dark waters, that the young 
fairy lived, moved, and thought } 

At night an irresistible force would draw Rend 
out from his cabin. He would lean his elbows on 
the rails, and, while the twinkling stars seemed to 
watch him, seek with greedy eyes to pierce the 
black waves often lit up with phosphorescent fires. 
Sometimes a ray of moonlight made him tremble ! 
Was it she.^ Could it be her dazzling arms stretched 
out from the waters to beckon him ? 

One evening, towards midnight — was it a dream ? 
was he asleep.? — he thought he heard once more 
the song he never could forget. It was far, far 
away like the mournful cry of a bird gliding over 
the waters, fanned by the breeze. The impression 
was so strong that he sprang to his feet, and, with an 
irresistible impulse, responded by a musical phrase, a 
phrase thrown to the winds from his young warm 
voice, which sounded to him like a superhuman salu- 


The Yacht “ Cinderellar 69 

tation. But no sound came back- to him this time. 
Doubtless he had been deceived, or his dream had 
taken the vividness of reality. He struck his fore- 
head, and asked himself if he were mad ; and the 
movement brought his ring into view. No ! he was 
not dreaming ! No ! he was not mad, since the ring 
was still on his finger. And, at the idea that this 
ring linked him to the marvellous Undine, that by 
this link he was forced to seek her and to find her, 
he felt capable of daring anything. 

Ah ! he knew now why Ulysses had sealed the 
ears of his companions, when passing near the Cape 
of the Sirens. He had experienced a like charm, 
and he who had once heard the magic singing must 
and would hear it again, if it cost him his life ! 


CHAPTER VIL 


THE JOURNAL OF A DIVER. 

Every time there was an opportunity, that is to 
say whenever a steamer passed the Cinderella^ Rene 
availed himself of it to send word to The Poplars ” 
that he was in full health of mind and body. All 
his letters were finished off by the one word : Hope, 
Helene knew its meaning and thrilled in sympathy 
with him. Madame Caoudal and Doctor Patrice 
each interpreted the words according to their re- 
spective hopes and fears, and followed up the wrong 
scent, ingenious, as usual, in creating numberless 
proofs in confirmation of their illusion. The good 
lady had chosen Stephen as the confidant of the 
projects which had previously been discouraged by 
the attitude of Helene and Rene; and now that she 
thought she saw the realization of her wishes, she 
felt triumphant, and could not refrain from speaking 
of her hopes, ten times a day at least, to the un- 
fortunate doctor. 

Have you not remarked, doctor, how H61ene has 
improved in appearance these last few weeks ? ” 

It seems to me, madame, that she had nothing 


The Journal of a Diver, 71 

to gain in that respect,” declared Stephen, who had 
not waited till then to discover that she was the 
loveliest girl in the world. 

“Yes, yes! But haven’t you noticed.? It dates 
from Rene’s terrible adventure. Really one might 
call it quite a providential accident.” 

“ Rather a violent providence I ” 

“ Ah, how should any one know that better than 
I .? But, however, now that all danger is over, one 
cannot but rejoice at the turn things have taken. 
The children were made for one another, any one 
can see that. It would be a sin to divide their prop- 
erty, too. Just think of it I Forty thousand acres 
held by one sole tenant I I have always considered 
that the property ought not to be divided. During 
the long minority of my two wards, I flatter myself 
that I have managed it as well as most guardians.” 

“ Every one is agreed, madame, in recognizing the 
superiority of your administration.” 

“Well, you know, Stephen, how cruelly disap- 
pointed I should be if my little Helene, brought up 
under my roof, whom I have cherished absolutely as 
if she were my daughter, were to leave ; and that a 
stranger should take the first place in her affec- 
tions.” 

“ Is not that the common lot .? ” 

“ The common lot I It is very easy for you to 
say so I I should like to see you, when you have a 


72 


The Crystal City. 


♦ 

daughter of your own! How would you like any 
one to have the audacity to ask you to give her 
up ? Ah, I have had plenty of applications for 
her hand I But to come back to what we were 
talking about, it is all happily arranged now, and 
I am relieved ! ” 

“You consider that Rene and Helene have come 
to an understanding ? ” 

“ Have n’t you seen it ? All the time my son was - 
here they were inseparable. They always had some- 
thing to say to each other ; the most indifferent 
remarked it. Come, doctor, you must have perceived 
it like the rest V 

“ A blind person might have seen it. They were, 
as you say, inseparable, but have they not always 
been so ” 

“ Ah ! but it was much more so this time. And 
you, who are so observant, and have known them so 
long, it could not have escaped you. You have 
been here every time we have had news from Rene ; 
well, each time she was radiant ; that is the word, 
simply radiant ! ” 

“ So she was when her fianc^ went away,” said 
the doctor, thoughtfully, his natural penetration be- 
coming clearer in spite of himself. “ Is not that a 
symptom contrary to your conviction } ” 

“ Ah I you cannot understand people who are 
governed by a passion for the sea!” cried the lady. 


The Journal of a Diver, 73 

petulantly. ‘‘You did not know my sister-in-law. 
She had an heroic nature, capable of sacrificing her 
dearest and best without a murmur, in her country’s 
service. She has bequeathed her spirit — ” 

“ There is the more merit in making similar sacri- 
fices, when one has not that passion.” 

“ Oh, as for me, everybody knows that if I sacri- 
fice myself, it is not without protestation ! ” said 
Madame Caoudal, laughing. “ I am' not one of the 
race of stoics. But Helene is one of those who 
could smile on the altar of sacrifice. But, joking 
apart, she is a generous and courageous soul, worthy 
to be the wife of my Rene.” 

These conversations were repeated again and 
again. The excellent lady, thinking herself so per- 
spicuous, was quite unaware of the amount of useless 
suffering she was inflicting on the unfortunate 
doctor in making him, perpetually, the confidant of 
her hopes. Others were less blind, and, if the 
doctor had overheard the confidential talk of two 
young girls, whose white dresses appeared and disap- 
peared at the end of the lawn, between the great 
poplars, perhaps he would have carried a lighter 
heart back with him to his lonely home. 

Helene Rieux and Mademoiselle Luzan loved each 
other dearly, and, excepting the secrets that con- 
cerned other people, concealed nothing from each 
other. 


74 


The Crystal City. 


The two girls looked charming under the summer 
sun, having, at the age of twenty, no fears for their 
healthy complexion from his rays, and presenting 
the traditional contrast of brunette and blonde, 
which, though it has long served to adorn the bind- 
ings of books and the lids of sweetmeat boxes, is 
none the less pleasant to look at. Bertha Luzan 
was tall and slender, with something noble and 
classical in her blue eyes, regular features, fair head, 
and statuesque arms. Helene was dark, delicately 
formed, less tall, but equally graceful. 

‘‘There is that poor doctor going home, looking so 
melancholy,” said Bertha. 

“ Well, you don’t hold me responsible for that, do 
you.^” said Hdene, rather impatiently, feeling as if 
a reproach underlay her friend’s words. 

“ Shall I say what I think } I do not recognize 
your usual generosity in your treatment of him.” 

“Then what can I do to please you? ” 

“ Acknowledge the delicate reserve of a man 
whom you honour,” said Mademoiselle Luzan, 
gravely, “and who is the only one — ” 

“The only one — ?” 

“That you will ever marry,” added Bertha, smil- 
ing. 

“It will be in spite of himself, then,” said Helene. 
“ Confess, now, that it would be impossible to mani- 
fest less eagerness than he does.” 


The Journal of a Diver, 


75 


“As if you did not know as well as I, that it is 
your fortune that paralyzes him, to say nothing of 
your aunt’s plans for you, which are no secret from 
any one.” 

“ That would be a very good reason ; reasonable 
enough for any one but Stephen, who has heard us a 
dozen times, Rene and me, explain ourselves clearly 
on that point. As to the mere accident of dowry or 
fortune, it is unworthy of such a man as he to attach 
such importance to it.” 

“Do not say so, Hdene,” replied Mademoiselle 
Luzan, gently. “You cannot know how odious, it 
would be to a proud man to appear calculating in 
such a matter.” 

“ But if I do not believe he would be calculating, 
what does it matter what other people think.? ” 

“ Still, I think you ought to let him know.” 

“In other words, I am to make advances to him .? 
Never ! If he has n’t the courage to overcome such 
a miserable obstacle, — well, we must remain apart. 
He is of no less value in my eyes for being without 
a fortune, and I feel no more inclined to propose 
marriage to him, than I should to no matter what 
great personage.” 

“ Brave heart ! ” said Bertha, embracing her; “but 
take care, Helene, don’t be hard and unjust. He, 
whom you are keeping at a distance, is sadly mis- 
understood.” 


76 


The Crystal City, 


‘‘ Misunderstood ? So be it ! ” said Helene, de- 
cidedly. “ What can I do ? ” 

It is a misunderstanding that a word could put 
right,” said Bertha, dreamily to herself, and, without 
insisting any more, she came back to the subject on 
which they never disagreed, the cruise of the yacht 
Cinderelta and the great work Rene was doing. 

The very moment the two friends were discussing 
his plans and wishing him success, the young lieu- 
tenant was embarking on his first descent in the 
submarine cabin he had designed. Comfortably 
installed at his writing-table, over which was placed 
a chronometer, an aneroid barometer, a thermom- 
eter, and a dial-plate for registering the length of 
cable paid out by the steam capstan, he recorded 
with a steady hand his slightest impressions, that he 
might transmit them to his family. And the follow- 
ing is what was written on the first pages of the 
“ Journal of a Diver : ” 

Renf s Journal. 

“June nth. 17 minutes past 12 p. m. Longitude, 24° 
17' 23" East; Latitude, 30° 40' 7" North. Here I am, sealed 
up in my cell for my first descent. The fastenings of the door 
and of the port-holes appear to be quite water-tight. All is in 
order and everything in its place. I have poured into the tub 
thirty pints of water of baryta, the oxygen flagon is ready to act. 
The electric light is all one could wish. Off we go ! I sound 
the telephone, and give the order to start : ‘ Reel off twenty- 



The first Descent of the Diving-bell 








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The Journal of a Diver, 


77 


five yards ! Au revoir^ gentleine 7 i' — It is done. The only 
sounds I hear are the steam-engine above my head, and the 
movement of the hand on the dial registering my descent; 
otherwise all is as smooth and insensible as can be wished. 
At the precise moment when the needle marks twenty -five 
yards, it stops. All is going capitally ; I telephone that mes- 
sage, and receive in reply the echo of my host’s sonorous 
congratulations. A rapid glance through each port-hole shows 
me clear green water all round me, excepting that through the 
roof I distinguish the keel of the yacht and its shadow. Not 
the slightest oozing at the joints ; the caulkers of the Cinder- 
ella are first-rate, like all the workmen on board. 

“ 1 2.20. Gave the order to pay out a hundred yards more 
cable. 

“ 12.22. The needle points to one hundred and twenty-five, 
and stops. The water is opaque and dark. In the rays of 
electric light projected to larboard I see file past me huge 
fish, terrified by this submarine light. Telephoned: ^ All 
gohig well. Pay out three hufidred yai'ds."' 

“12.28. The needle marks four hundred and twenty-five 
yards. Around me the water is black. Not a ray of sunlight 
can pierce the gruesome wall interposed between the atmos- 
phere and my cell. Is it an illusion? It seems to me that the 
silence is more intense, more complete, more black, so to speak, 
than at the start. That is the only difference. The air of the 
room does not appear to have suffered any appreciable modifi- 
cation. The temperature is stationary. Telephoned: '■Pay 
out five hundred yards., slowly., ready to stop at the first 
call! ’ 

“12.36. Needle marks seven hundred and forty yards. 
Telephoned : ‘ Slow down the paying out of the cable., gently., 
and with attentiofi ! ’ 


78 


The Crystal City. 


“12.38. I did right to go slowly. A pretty rough shake 
informed me that I had reached the bottom. Telephoned : 

‘ Stop ! ’ The order is executed in less than a twentieth of a 
second. The needle points to nine hundred and thirty-four 
yards. Thus, the descent has not taken more than twenty-one 
minutes. I feel the strange sensation of arriving on shore 
after a voyage, and finding dry land once more, — a singular 
illusion, truly, at a distance of one thousand yards below the 
surface ! Can it be that the bottom of the sea is my real 
country, my home ? Telephoned: All well I Have totiched 
the bottojn. Nine hundred and thirty-four yards I Answer : 

‘ A volley of cheersl Replied : ‘ Thanks; but leave me to 

explore the country I 

“ The floor of my cabin is horizontal, proving that the 
diving-bell has grounded on a flat surface. Indeed, the elec- 
tric light dispersed to right and left, and before and behind, 
reveals a bed of sand and calcareous debris. Everything is 
dead, bleached, and motionless. Nothing in the least resem- 
bling nursery tales or poets’ songs. Nothing could be less 
like the famous dream of Clarence. 

“ ‘ Methought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks ; 

A thousand men that fishes gnawed upon ; 

Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl, 
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels, 

All scattered at the bottom of the sea : 

Some lay in dead men’s skulls.’ * 

“No skull, and not the ghost of a pearl here! Nothing, 
alas, to tell of the neighbourhood of a human being ! Noth- 
ing but the impalpable dust of molluscs of past ages. What 
matter.? Now is the time for me to try the tentacles of my 


* Shakespeare. “ Richard III.” 


79 


The Journal of a Diver, 

diving-bell, and to prove their superiority over the greased 
plummet of former soundings. They are a little short, these 
india-rubber arms of mine ! It is with great difficulty that 
I have been able to pick up a handful of debris. Debris which 
the impermeable glove has faithfully brought me, notwith- 
standing; and which I have succeeded in bringing into the 
cabin by turning the sleeve or huge finger, and shutting it by 
means of its obturators, which I provided for detaching the 
glove and warehousing the collection ; nothing worth picking 
up after all, except as a specimen of what can be gathered 
by a human hand at a depth of twenty-eight hundred feet, 
and to provide a month’s work for Monte Cristo’s microscope. 
Improvement suggested; lengthen the india-rubber arms of 
my diving-bell, and provide them with elementary tools, spade, 
hammer, and pincers, to be attached to the outside wall of the 
diving-bell. Sounds in the telephone: ^Halloo! halloo P 
What do these worthy people want.^ Monte Cristo appears 
to be getting impatient, and wondering if I am dead. ‘ Not 
yet! I a 7 n going to give the order., presently., to be drawn 
tip! 

“ Time to take a few more notes. Respirable air without 
appreciable change ; oxygen in plenty ; thermometer risen two 
degrees and three - tenths. Atmospheric pressure stationary 
since the start. Come ! decisive experience has been gained ; 
the only thing, now, is to go back on board, and make another 
attempt another day. 

“12.57. '■Halloo! halloo !'‘ Sh — The order is given to 
draw up. Sh — We are tripping anchor. We are shaken a little 
bit, but nothing to speak of ; the bottom of my cabin emerges 
from its bed of sand ; then a continued noise of water swish- 
ing past the walls of the diving-bell, which rises and rises, 
while the needle goes back on the dial, instead of stopping, by 
reason of our speed of fifty yards per minute. Telephoned: 


8o 


The Crystal City, 


••All right! but increase the pace a little! It is going now at 
eighty yards a minute. The needle points at six hundred and 
fifty. 

“ 1.13. A noise of dripping on all sides. A cheer from the 
crew. Here I am again, lifted up in sixteen minutes. I have 
nothing to do but draw the bolt and jump on deck.” 


CHAPTER VIII. 


THE DIVING-BELL. 

The crew of the Cinderella welcomed the return 
of the audacious explorer with enthusiastic joy. 
During his short sojourn on board the yacht, Rene 
had made himself liked by all ; and workmen and 
sailors had awaited with keen anxiety the result of 
the hazardous experiment. Monte Cristo, himself, 
had felt his princely heart beat rather more quickly 
as the intrepid officer disappeared in the abyss. 
Therefore, he felt sincere emotion on seeing him 
come back ; he ran to him and pressed him in his 
arms. “ Champagne for everybody to drink M. 
Caoudal’s health!” he. said to Sacripanti, who bowed 
and obeyed the order without delay. “ And you, my 
dear hero, must be famished, I ’m sure.” 

“ You are right ; I am voraciously hungry,” replied 
the lieutenant ; “ but that is between ourselves, how- 
ever. I could never have believed I should be a 
prey to such nervous excitement. My pulse beats 
so fast, I almost thought I could live on air, but, now 
you mention it, the void in my inner man destroys 
that illusion.” 

‘‘ Come, come I your sang-froid is simply admirable. 


82 


The Crystal City, 


Do not undervalue yourself, but let us sit down to 
the lunch you have so well earned.” 

While they did justice to the lunch, Rene gave his 
host an account of the main facts of the journey, and 
gave him the specimens he had brought up with 
him. The prince was delighted, and already foresaw 
a series of discoveries — by proxy — glorious for the 
yacht and for himself. He passed the rest of the 
day at his microscope in a state of feverish agitation, 
which contrasted with the calm demeanour of the 
young lieutenant. 

The next day Rene got to work again, accomplish- 
ing, every day, three or four fresh descents, in order 
to take separate bearings, with the greatest care, at 
distances of two or three marine miles. Sometimes 
the state of the water made the operation impractica- 
ble. There was then nothing for it but to wait, and 
Rene was tortured with impatience. Although his 
researches had, so far, brought him no satisfactory 
result, his conviction remained unshaken that the 
mysterious subterranean dwelling which had shel- 
tered him for some few never to be forgotten hours, 
or minutes, ought to be situated between the Sargas- 
sian Sea and the Azores. To explore that vast 
region, to sound successively every part of it, — 
such was the intrepid (mad, some would say) proj- 
ect he conceived and pursued with indefatigable 
perseverance. 


The Diving-Bell. 


83 


No one else knew of this plan but Helene. Rene 
looked upon her as the only person capable of 
believing in the reality of his adventure. And 
if he needed encouragement, it was in that direc- 
tion that he found it, in the youthful imagination, 
large-heartedness and characteristic good sense of 
the unsophisticated girl. But he had something 
better still — faith — the lever which removes moun- 
tains and triumphs over difficulties. That was 
why, notwithstanding all obstacles, he accomplished 
his end. Monte Cristo began to wonder at the 
tenacity with which his young and distinguished 
collaborator, as he called him, not without a 
shade of patronizing fatuity, set himself to re- 
peated expeditions having no apparent result ; for 
the india-rubber arms of the diying-bell had not 
brought up any hitherto unknown animal or vege- 
table variety. 

But there was one man on board who grew more 
and more curious day by day ; and that was Sacri- 
panti. The Levantine rapacity of his mind could not 
believe that Caoudal exposed himself every day to 
such danger for any purely scientific object. The 
conviction took hold of him, little by little, that the 
lieutenant must be possessed of precise and particu- 
lar information respecting some treasure submerged 
near the Azores, — a galleon, perhaps, laden with 
piastres and sunk for centuries under the weight of 


84 


The Crystal City, 


its riches ; or, who could tell ? an old vessel from 
the East Indies, whose rotten planks concealed be- 
neath the waves a cargo of diamonds and rubies. 
Nothing but the attraction of so much wealth could 
account for Caoudal’s perseverance. At this idea 
Sacripanti’s black eyes glittered ; his sallow face 
flushed with avarice ; -he swore between his white 
teeth that, in one way or other, he would have his 
share of the windfall. 

His first manoeuvre in that direction was not a 
happy one. After having loaded Ren6, as his custom 
was, with nauseous flattery in reference to his unre- 
laxing heroism, he suggested that these expeditions 
would be less monotonous if M. Caoudal had a com- 
panion. “ Perhaps, without having to look very far,” 
added he, trying to assume a modest manner, but 
one which was only abject, “perhaps you might find, 
on board, a man whose devotion to science might 
equal your own, and who would feel honoured at 
serving you as your pupil, or even to help ma- 
noeuvre — ” To which Caoudal replied that he 
thanked Captain Sacripanti for his obliging offers, 
but that the submersible chamber was constructed 
to accommodate one passenger only. Baffled on that 
head, the “ second in command ” tried another plan, 
and began systematically to excite the jealousy of 
his employer. 

From morning till evening he developed this idea. 


The Diving -BelL 


35 


that, thenceforth, in the matter of shallow soundings, 
it would be no longer a question, in the Academies, 
of the yacht Cinderella, but simply and solely of 
Caoudal’s diving-bell. 

“But the diving-bell was constructed on board 
the yacht, and we immersed it ourselves,’' objected 
Monte Cristo. 

“That does n’t matter,” said Sacripanti, oracularly. 
“ Your highness has only too many detractors and 
enemies already among the learned bodies. Without 
appearing to attach importance to the thing, these 
people will get into the way of speaking of Caoudal’s 
diving - bell ; by degrees the public will get accus- 
tomed to repeating the name ; and that of the Cin- 
derella and of its illustrious commander will retire 
into the shade and be forgotten.” 

Such a prospect as that could not but make 
Monte Cristo extremely uncomfortable, but he shrank 
from avowing it. “ It is impossible ! ” said he, slap- 
ping his knees with a gesture habitual to him in 
moments of doubt. “The civilized world knows that 
I have inaugurated in person the shallow sound- 
ings of the Atlantic, this diving-bell has been con- 
structed on board my yacht, it is a part of it, it is 
inseparable: I cannot admit that it will tend to 
make it forgotten.” 

“ Very well ! your highness has only to wait two 
or three months ; we shall see whether I am right 


86 


The Crystal City, 


or not.” Sacripanti persisted so long and so well 
with these insinuations that he succeeded in making 
his chief uneasy. 

‘‘ After all, what can we do } ” asked Monte Cristo, 
pushed to the extremity of perplexity. 

I see only one remedy, and that would be 
to insist that an officer on board accompany 
M. Caoudal in his cabin, when it goes under 
water } ” 

“That is a good idea! — You, for instance!” 
Then, all at once, pausing, struck with a sudden 
idea : “Or myself I Why not I ” added he. 

Sacripanti alleged the greatness and importance 
of the prince, both on land and on board his own 
yacht, as a reason against it. But Monte Cristo was 
bent upon it and nothing would stop him. “ It is 
clear that is the solution of the difficulty I The best 
and the most simple I ” said he, walking with rapid 
strides up and down the poop. “ And indeed what 
can be fairer ? The diving-bell is my work and my 
property, since it would never have existed but for 
my yacht and my workshops. Suffice it to say that 
I undertake personally to effectuate some soundings, 
and that I report thereupon to the scientific world, so 
that no one will dream of depriving me of an honour 
due to myself. It is an understood thing that I 
embark in the diving-bell ! ” 

He at once communicated his plan to Rene. It 


The Diving-Bell. 


87 


was little to his taste, and he thought it necessary to 
make some objection to the invasion of his cabin. 
But the prince appeared to attach so much impor- 
tance to the thing, and he had from the first done 
everything with such a good grace to meet the least 
wishes of the young lieutenant, that he felt it would 
look like great ingratitude if he did not, in his turn, 
show himself generous. He therefore acquiesced, 
and it was agreed that the next morning they would 
make a first attempt. Convinced that the unique 
experience would suffice to cure his highness of his 
fancy, Rene changed nothing in his ordinary plan 
of operation. Matters thus settled to their satisfac- 
tion, they retired for the night. 

A night’s rest gives one time and opportunity to 
think things over. Evidently that of the prince had 
not been without uneasy thoughts, for the next 
morning, when he appeared on deck, he looked pale 
and extremely uncomfortable. He had every appear- 
ance of not having closed an eye all night, and 
showed no impatience to shut himself up in the sub- 
mersible chamber. Rene, however, without appear- 
ing to notice this demeanour, gave a look round to 
see that every detail was in order. He had doubled 
the usual quantity of barytic water in the china vase, 
and prepared the flagon of oxygen for its normal 
working ; he satisfied himself that everything was in 
its right place ; then, his inspection ended, he opened 


88 


The Crystal City, 


the door wide, saying : “ Now, my dear prince, when 
you are quite ready ! ” There was no possibility of 
going back. Monte Cristo, more dead than alive, in 
spite of a bumper of rum, with which he had just 
fortified himself, judged it necessary to address a 
solemn farewell to his crew : 

“ My children,” said he, in a voice choked with 
emotion, “if adverse destiny wills that I should 
never return from this hazardous enterprise, know 
that my last thought was for you ! I embrace you 
all in the person of my faithful Sacripanti ! ” After 
which he imprinted two resounding kisses on the 
swarthy cheeks of the Levantine, which were stream- 
ing with tears called up for the occasion ; then, with 
a theatrical step, he set foot on the threshold of the 
diving-bell. Rene followed him at once without so 
much ceremony. 

The door shut and caulked upon the two ex- 
plorers, the prince appeared somewhat reassured on 
finding that calmness and silence reigned in the sub- 
mersible prison. He stretched himself on the sofa 
and awaited events with resignation. His companion 
in misfortune gave the order to set out. 

The needle began to move. When he saw that 
all was going as well as could be wished, as simply 
as possible, and that he did not even feel the motion 
of the diving-bell and found himself in three minutes 
at a depth of a hundred yards, his habitual good 


The Diving-Bell, 89 

humour came to the front, and he drew from his 
pocket a magnificent cigar and lighted it. 

“ There is a proof of the quality of our respiratory 
air ! ” said Rene, smiling. 

“ What ! Do you think there would be any 
danger in smoking here ! ” asked the prince, ready 
to sacrifice his cigar. 

No danger but that of making our atmosphere a 
little less pure and transparent,” replied the young 
officer. 

He had hardly finished speaking when an ominous 
creaking of the floor of the cabin was heard ; at the 
same moment it stopped short with a shake that 
knocked them both down. The prince, seated on 
the sofa, could not have been better placed for bear- 
ing, without serious damage, the consequences of his 
fall. Rene, on the contrary, was thrown with great 
force against the starboard wall, and immediately felt 
great pain in his shoulder. 

His first care was, nevertheless, to spring to the 
telephone to give the order to cease paying out the 
cable, and then to try to find out, by means of the 
electric light, the nature of the incident. A glance 
to larboard explained all, and the explanation was as 
marvellous as it was unexpected. 

The diving-bell had crashed into a colossal dome 
of thick crystal plates, and remained fixed there. 
This crystal dome, illuminated with a dazzling light. 


90 


The Crystal City, 


which made the electric lamp look pale, was com- 
pletely visible in all its parts, and appeared to belong 
to an immense conservatory, covering the most 
strange and luxuriant vegetation. Further along, 
there seemed to be a continuation of the building, in 
the shape of galleries, likewise of crystal. All these 
galleries, like the dome, seemed to have a double 
transparent roof divided into compartments by 
water-tight partitions, so that the diving-bell, in stav- 
ing in the upper roof, had done nothing worse than 
opening to the water a compartment in the ceiling a 
few cubic yards in extent. Under the lower roof 
there was no water, but a clear and luminous atmos- 
phere, where giant trees, handsome ferns, and many- 
coloured flowers seemed to live a luxuriant life. 
The floor of the submarine conservatory was cov- 
ered with fine white sand, forming, as far as the 
•eye could see, alleys crossing each other at right 
angles. 

Rene could not doubt that chance had conducted 
him this time to the object of his eager search. If 
he had thought of counting the beats of his pulse, 
he would have found them considerably quickened. 
Gazing with all his eyes at the spectacle spread out 
before him, he observed the height of the thick, 
glassy fortress against which Jie had fallen, and 
whose translucent walls seemed strong enough to 
defy the elements and the centuries. His eye 



The Crystal City. 













The Diving - Bell. 9 1 

glued, so to speak, to the spy-glass, he drank in at 
every pore the living and tangible reality he had at 
last succeeded in finding. The beauty of the gar- 
dens, which spread themselves out in an interminable 
series of flowers in groups and hanging - baskets, 
would have sufficed to mark the spot as the dwelling 
of a demi-god, even if the imposing edifice itself had 
not done so. A moment more, and the happy trav- 
eller was to be accorded a sight of the owners of the 
conservatory. 

At the moment when the diving-bell grounded, 
the gardens were deserted. He wondered, trem- 
bling with hope and joy, if he should see any one to 
give life to the picture, when a slight movement at 
the end of one of the paths made his heart ^)eat more 
quickly still. Holding his breath, and concentrating 
his gaze with all his powers of attention, he waited. 
Not a doubt about it ! They were his host and 
hostess who were coming towards him. He recog- 
nized the dignified old man, and, by his side, walking 
with a light, springing step, the graceful Undine. 
They were too far off for Rene to distinguish the 
expression of their faces, but he was able to note the 
nobleness of their outline, and their proud bearing. 
By degrees, as the distance lessened between them, 
he recognized the carriage of the head, the queenly 
brow, the charming features which had lived in his 
memory. But, were they coming to him ? Would 


92 


The Crystal City, 


they come to the crystal wall, realize that he was 
there, greet him, perhaps receive him ? 

No. Arrived at a cross-way where several paths 
met, they turned their steps to the left and disap- 
peared behind a group of flowers. At the same 
moment, a voice of thunder close beside him ex- 
claimed : “ Admirable creature ! What would not 
one give to see her again ! ” It was the prince who 
spoke. 

He had recovered from his surprise, and was look- 
ing through one of the spy-glasses at the wonderful 
sight. Rene had completely forgotten his presence. 
But this tremendous voice awoke him to the reality 
of it. 

How extremely unlucky that Monte Cristo should 
be there to spoil everything ! just at the very time 
that his object was gained ! He was ready to die of 
disgust. With a furious bound, and as though to 
hide his discovery from the profanation of indiscreet 
eyes, he threw himself on the telephone. 

Halloo ! Halloo I Draw tip qitickly H cried he. 

And, almost immediately, the cable, with a grating 
sound, wrenched the diving-bell from the crystal 
dome where it had lodged itself. Suddenly, magic 
conservatory, venerable trees, brilliant flowers, and 
long alleys disappeared as in a dream. Monte 
Cristo, still looking through his spy -glass, saw the 
iridescent shimmer of the submarine light gradually 


The Diving- BelL 


93 


extinguished by the dark sea waves. Then every- 
thing was effaced. The diving-bell continued to 
rise, and the needle did not mark more than a hun- 
dred and eighty yards. 

“You seemed to be in a great hurry to come to 
the surface! ” said the prince, sharply. “The sight 
was, at least, worth the trouble of looking at, and, 
for my part, I shall not fail to have another look at 
it.” 

Rene made no reply. But no sooner had they set 
foot on board, than he informed the prince that the 
laboratory no longer contained the necessary ele- 
ments for the purifying of air in the submersible 
chamber. This was perfectly true, for the lieutenant 
had thrown into the sea all the baryta at his 
disposal. 


CHAPTER IX. 


THE TORPEDO-BOAT “ TITANIA.” 

In less than a month after the last journey in 
the diving - bell, recorded in the previous chapter, 
we find the young officer rectifying diagrams in 
a large metallurgic workshop in the Victor Hugo 
Avenue, Paris. 

He had taken leave of the yacht Cinderella and 
the Prince of Monte Cristo in the harbour of Cadiz, 
after having with considerable difficulty wrung from 
“the patron of science” a promise on his word 
of honour to reveal nothing, till he had heard from 
him again, of what they had seen at the bottom of 
the sea. This was no small concession on the part 
of so vain and egotistical a man, convinced, as he 
was, that the discovery was his own. Rene alleged 
the necessity of perfecting his methods of investiga- 
tion and of completing his notes before submitting 
them to the learned bodies ; and the prince, well 
knowing that he could do nothing without his 
“young and distinguished collaborator,” allowed 
himself to be persuaded. 


The Torpedo-Boat “ Titaniar 95 

In fact, what Rene now wanted was to be let 
alone. He needed plenty of liberty, and he wished 
to be under no further obligation to the proprietor 
of the Cinderella. Since he had seen once more the 
mysterious home of his sea - nymph ; since through 
the transparent walls he had refound her lovely 
form, the idea of any intrusion whatever in his enter- 
prise was intolerable. He wished to pursue it alone 
and by more decisive means than the diving-bell that 
he had invented. In the first place, he required a 
more mobile apparatus, in which he could circum- 
navigate the crystal prison which contained the 
young fairy ; something different from the submers- 
ible cabin, reaching bottom wherever chance might 
take it. Some means of submarine navigation sug- 
gested itself. Rene had thought of a torpedo-boat, 
like those used in war ; but supposing he could get 
the use of such a thing for a purely scientific object, 
or for a private enterprise, an ordinary torpedo-boat, 
though actually submersible, was not sufficiently 
manageable to satisfy his requirements. He re- 
solved to construct, on his own account, assisted by 
a subsidy from the State, a special submarine boat, 
capable of sinking to the bottom, rising quickly to 
the surface, and being navigated with equal ease 
above and below water. The experience he had 
gained in his diving-bell enabled him to formulate 
a plan of this boat ; and the solid friendships his 


96 


The Crystal City, 


father and grandfather had made in the Navy De- 
partment would help him at the outset to get the 
necessary assistance in that quarter. Thanks to the 
unfailing generosity of his mother, he had no diffi- 
culty about the initial expense ; and, explaining his 
project to the engineers, Rouergue Brothers, he set 
to work. 

The chief feature of his plan was a small craft, 
forty -two feet long and fifteen feet wide, made of 
steel plates, to contain six persons, and capable of 
navigation, both above and below water, by means of 
an electric motor, and carrying a supply of oxygen. 
The idea was merely a development of the submersi- 
ble cabin made on board the Cmderellay but so com- 
pletely and perfectly solved, that the best judges at 
once gave it their approval. The vessel was to be 
raised or lowered by means of tanks, which could be 
filled or emptied at will. To purify the air, a vase of 
protoxide of barium was to be used. A powerful 
electric light, with glass on all sides, and india-rubber 
arms like those of the diving-belb but provided with 
a special set of tools, completed the ensemble. The 
semicircular deck of the little vessel, hermetically 
closed for submersion, was to open lengthwise in two 
halves for ordinary navigation, and allow the stepping 
of two small iron masts provided with large lateen 
sails. A cockpit placed aft would allow one man to 
navigate the boat. Ren^ had decided that Kermadec 


The Torpedo-Boat “ Titariiar 97 

should be that man, and he had, without difficulty, 
obtained leave for him for the same duration as his 
own. 

The brave lad, now completely recovered from the 
effects of his injuries, accepted with unmixed satis- 
faction the proposal to set out with his young master 
on his travels. It is true he would have been more 
in his element reefing the topsail of a man-of-war 
than in manoeuvering a submarine boat ; but he was 
too proud of having been chosen by M. Caoudal as 
travelling companion not to begin at once to study 
the new method of navigation ; and all his time, 
except what he spent at the Musee de Marine, was 
given to working hard at a “Treatise on Torpedo- 
boats and Submarine Craft,” a book of which he was 
very proud. Happily the tfme has gone by when 
humble folks like Kermadec were completely de- 
prived, by want of education, of all intellectual pleas- 
ure. Kermadec thought of his father, a man gifted 
with rare intelligence, but altogether uncultivated, 
who had often regretted, in his hearing, his inability 
to sign his name. He had tried to learn in later 
life, and the topman still remembered the desperate 
and often fruitless efforts of the poor fisherman to 
train his gnarled fingers, stiffened with hard work at 
sea, to the handling of pen or pencil. He broke 
these frail engines between his iron fingers, like 
pieces of glass, without succeeding in tracing on the 


98 


The Crystal City. 


paper anything but hieroglyphics which would have 
been the despair of Champollion. 

Yvon Kermadec, the topman and “dandy” of the 
present time, was then a gamin, sauntering with 
lagging steps to school, like any sluggish snail. 
But one day, on his return from school, he began 
to teach his father ; and, quite young, learnt to 
appreciate the benefits of education, which the 
most destitute nowadays claim by right. The wise 
counsels of his officer had proved salutary to him; 
he had developed a taste for reading ; and, instead 
of emptying his pockets and ruining his health at 
the “wine shop,” he employed his time in furnishing 
his mind with all sorts of useful knowledge. He 
felt he owed a debt of gratitude to Rene ; and the 
fact of his having received this last proof of confi- 
dence and esteem, following his sojourn at “The 
Poplars,” increased the affection he had always felt 
for his chief. 

Rene, on his side, was much attached to the brave 
fellow, so good and lively, so frank and so plucky ; 
and they both looked forward with much pleasure to 
their adventurous cruise. Unwilling to risk the 
lad’s untimely chatter, — or even the head - shakings, 
closed lips, winks and ostentatious reticence, by 
which some people make it known that they are 
keeping a secret, — Rene had not told Yvon any- 
thing about the wonderful things to be found at 


The Torpedo-Boat “ Titania, 


99 


the bottom of the Atlantic. He reserved this for 
another time and place ; not feeling quite sure, 
besides, that the Breton imagination of the top- 
man might not conceive a prejudice against a /usus 
nattirce like that of the charming water-nymph. 
Suppose he were to look upon her as a sorceress, 
and refuse to go! Rene judged that in every re- 
spect the sailor was an ideal companion, and did 
not wish to run the risk of losing him for any 
tenaciously persistent superstition which might be 
hidden in his Celtic brain ; and, as things were, 
Kermadec knew nothing of any encounter he might 
expose himself to at the bottom of the sea. 

Meanwhile, they pushed the work on with a will, 
and the boat already began to take shape. She 
presented, when open, the smart appearance of a 
yacht, and, when closed, that of a most formidable 
weapon of destruction. Moreover, Rouergue Broth- 
ers agreed to call her a “torpedo-boat,” although 
she did not carry a torpedo. Besides, contrary to 
the usual custom in small war vessels, she had no 
number given to her, but was simply named Titania. 
All Paris came to have a look at her, and for a 
week crowds filed past her, as she lay in the work- 
shop. Everybody had spoken of the new inven- 
tion ; the daily papers had discussed it ; reporters 
and interviewers were busy describing and ex- 
plaining its minutest details ; so that Rene had 


lOO 


The Crystal City, 


become the fashion before his boat had even 
received her third coat of black paint. This was 
hardly dry when he and Kermadec set out in 
charge of the car upon which the Titatiia was to 
travel to Brest. Madame Caoudal had already ar- 
rived there, accompanied by Helene and Doctor 
Patrice. In spite of the terror the excellent lady 
felt at the thought of seeing her son embark on 
such a machine, she would not for worlds have 
missed being present at the first trial -trip in the 
harbour. One may be quite sure that Helene kept 
her own counsel as to the object of the proposed 
voyage. 

For six days the two ladies had been anxiously 
awaiting the arrival of their dear sailor. By a 
lucky chance the Hercules had come to regulate 
her compass in Brest Harbour, and Captain Haran- 
court and his officers lost no time in paying their 
respects to the mother of their brother officer. 
How Madame Caoudal enjoyed hearing them speak 
of her boy! It was a pleasure to see her beautiful 
face light up with a radiant smile, when the gallant 
captain or one of his young subalterns told her of 
some trait of good comradeship, of intelligence or 
courage on his part. Though she had too much 
good taste to boast about him, her pride in being 
his mother was evident in spite of herself, and 
Lieutenant Bruyeres used to take a malicious pleas- 


The Torpedo-Boat “ Titariiar loi 

ure in surprising her into exclaiming with effusion : 
“ He is so charming, my Rene ! ” then recovering 
herself with a blush — “I mean — you are all so 
good and kind, gentlemen” — hoping thus to hide 
her confusion. 

Captain Harancourt understood her motherly 
heart ; he knew how to let her speak freely, and 
to recapitulate the thousand perfections of her idol ; 
and, as he himself had a great affection for his 
lieutenant, he bore it all without fatigue. Madame 
Caoudal found in him a listener after her own heart, 
and, though making excuses every time that she was 
betrayed into going into raptures over the absentee, 
she began again whenever she could gain his sym- 
pathetic ear. 

Good gracious ! if Rene were to hear me ! ” she 
sometimes said to her niece, terrified at the thought. 
“ Do you think he would have said I was making 
myself ridiculous about him, this evening for ex- 
ample } ” 

“ At what particular time, auntie } ” said Helene, 
mischievously. ‘^When you were telling us about 
his cutting his second teeth, or when you explained 
that, by some surprising combination of circum- 
stances, he did not always take all the prizes at 
college ? ” 

“What nonsense, I never said anything like that ! 
Only I am afraid I have talked too much about him. 


102 


The Crystal City. 


I should not like that. Those gentlemen must have 
thought me very indiscreet.” 

Those gentlemen would be very glad to have 
such a mother as you,” cried Hdene. “ Do you not 
think so, doctor } ” 

'‘Yes, and also a cousin like Rend’s, I imagine.” 

“ Oh, as to the cousin, they could do very well 
without her ; but the mother, they could n’t find 
another like you anywhere. Aunt Alice.” 

“ I know very well what they think,” said Doctor 
Patrice. “ But, as it does not do to encourage vanity, 
I will take care not to repeat it.” 

“ Indeed ! and who asked you, sir,” cried Helene, 
laughing. “ Let them think what they like, they 
are Rene’s comrades, and we like them all for that 
reason.” 

“That is very true,” said Madame Caoudal. “It 
warms my heart to see and hear them. And besides, 
they appear to be very distinguished.” 

“ More especially when they tell of the fine do- 
ings of my respected cousin, is it not so, little 
auntie ? ” 

“ My poor child ! ” said Madame Caoudal, her eyes 
suddenly filling with tears. “When I picture to 
myself the perils that he has escaped ! and what 
risks he is going to run in that cursed, — I mean 
that horrid submarine boat — ” She paused to wipe 
her eyes. 


The Torpedo-Boat “ TitaniaP 103 

“ You see, Aunt Alice can’t bring herself to call- 
ing it a cursed boat, because it is the work of her 
son,” said Helene to the doctor. “She must not 
begin again to worry herself about it. We must 
keep her spirits up.” 

And they both endeavoured to put fresh courage 
into the anxious mother ; a difficult task, since, wak- 
ing or sleeping, her one thought was of the acci- 
dents which might happen to him. 

Finally the inventor arrived. All the town was 
on hand to assist at the launching of the boat. 
Among the numerous vessels which were ranged 
along the harbour, in order to be eye-witnesses of the 
event, was the Cinderella, whose princely proprietor 
had sailed straight for Brest, on hearing what his 
renowned young friend was meditating. Ah ! he 
was not of the number of people who discourage 
interviewers ! He received them with open arms ; 
gave them a thousand details about himself and his 
yacht, about Rene, and the ability of his “young and 
distinguished collaborator,” his workmen, and the 
cruise he had made. He had come, by degrees, to 
consider himself the hero of the affair. Needless to 
say, he lost no time in calling on Madame Caoudal, 
and, in the most gracious manner, placed his yacht at 
the disposal of the ladies for the day of the launch- 
ing. But they had previously accepted an, invitation 
from Captain Harancourt, and, at an early hour, the 


104 Crystal City. 

captain’s gig was sent to bring them on board the 
Hercules. 

All the townspeople were massed on the quay, as 
far as it would give standing-room, and the neigh- 
bouring roofs of the houses were covered with people, 
who, one and all, as Rene and Kermadec appeared, 
gave them a hearty cheer. That from the Hercules 
was not to be outdone. The entire crew, perched in 
the rigging, awaited with anxiety the result of the 
experiment. The merest novice considered himself 
directly interested in its success. Punctually at 
noon, the lieutenant and the sailor embarked on the 
Titania. The coquettish little craft, light as a 
feather, balanced itself on the dark-green waters of 
the port. A salute was fired, and then the masts 
were raised, the two sails unfurled, filled gracefully 
by the breeze, and she started on her trip. She 
described a large circle in the harbour, seemed to 
flirt with the mysterious sea for a while, and then 
returned to the point from which she set out. Then 
Ren^ and Kermadec rose and saluted the crowd, 
who responded with a tremendous cheer. The next 
instant, the rigging was seen to fold itself with the 
ease of a bird folding its wings. The lieutenant and 
the sailor seated themselves in the bottom of the 
cockpit, while the two halves of the arched deck 
closed above their heads. For a minute or two the 
torpedo-boat floated in its new shape. Then, all at 



















= 











The Trial Trip of the “Titania.” 









The Torpedo-Boat “ Tita^iiar 105 

once, as if having suddenly decided to disappear, she 
slowly sank like a whale, and was lost to sight. A 
fresh cheer saluted her disappearance. Everybody 
applauded, and then opera and field-glasses were 
put in requisition to scan the harbour, so as to 
get the first sight of the return of the submarine 
boat. 

A quarter of an hour passed. Every one waited in 
silence, followed by intense anxiety, which increased 
moment by moment. Madame Caoudal, when the 
boat sank, turned white to the lips. She had not 
been able to stifle a cry, lost in the hurrahs of the 
crowd, when the deck of the Titania closed over her 
son. It looked to her as if his coffin-lid had closed 
over him. This horrible thought clung to her when 
the little boat disappeared. To see him there, with- 
out air to breathe, buried under mountains of water ! 
Oh, it was frightful ! The poor mother clasped her 
hands under her mantle, and waited, as white as a 
sheet, with a fixed stare. Helene perceived her 
aunt’s distress, and, quietly slipping her arm under 
hers, pressed it to give her courage. She herself, 
frightened, deeply moved, but confidently happy, 
excited by this adventurous proceeding of her cousin, 
had never looked more charming. With her straw 
hat, trimmed with large marguerites, her dress of 
gray woollen material, and a wide blue ribbon encir- 
cling her slender waist, she attracted the admiration 


io6 The Crystal City, 

of all who surrounded her. But, in her perfect sim- 
plicity, she did not seem to notice it. 

There, mademoiselle ! down there, do you see t ” 
suddenly cried Doctor Patrice, who, standing behind 
her, had been searching the harbour by means of a 
first-rate glass. 

Where Which side ” said Helene, trembling. 

Madame Caoudal did not dare look. But the 
shouts of the crowd obliged her to open her eyes, 
and two or three thousand yards in front of her, 
towards the west, she saw, emerging slowly, what 
looked at first like a whale’s back. Very soon the 
boat floated ; the hull opened, the sails unfurled, and 
she came sailing along once more to the starting 
point. 

The experiment had taken thirty -two minutes. 
It was a complete success. Rene and Kermadec 
landed amid the most enthusiastic acclamations. A 
-quarter of an hour later, Madame Caoudal pressed 
her son to her heart. Poor woman ! she was not to 
enjoy this happiness long, for the next morning, at 
sunrise, the Titania had left the harbour, with Rene 
and Kermadec on board. At eight o’clock, by the 
first post, Madame Caoudal received a pencilled note : 

I am off. Good-by to all. Renl.'' 







If 

.i-it 

jw'Wt)' 

'li 

w 

m 

1 


jii! 

i| 

1 1!' 



pis 






Helene and Captain Harancourt 






CHAPTER X. 


HELENE RIEUX TO BERTHA LUZAN. 

“You complain, dear Bertha, that I have forsaken you by 
coming to Brest, and that I do not write often enough. You 
implore me to have pity on you and let you have news of us. 
You suspect me of forgetting my old friends in the midst of 
the gay doings on board the Hercules and the splendours of 
the Prefectuf'e Maritime. That everything here interests me 
intensely I cannot deny; but, far from forgetting my dear 
Poplars, I hope I shall not be many weeks older before I find 
myself there, and near you again. I must confess that, if 
there were any danger of my head being turned, the vortex of 
entertainments and surprises invented here in our honour 
would affect me. Aunt Alice, herself, is captivated by it, and 
at the bottom of her heart is, I really believe, all but recon- 
ciled to the enemy. Certainly she ought to know better than 
most people what French seamen are worth. Though the 
officers of the Hercules do not admit it, we agree in think- 
ing the navy brilliantly represented here at present. But it is 
nothing to meet one of them now and again; to see them in 
perfection one must meet them all together on board the 
vessel, taking one by storm with their good-nature, their kind 
attentions, their liveliness, and chivalric devotion. Captain 
Harancourt is the most surprising of all; never have I seen 
more heartiness, more animation, or better waltzing ! And 


io8 The Crystal City. 

they say he is a man of great courage — like all the others, 
for that matter ! A beardless lieutenant, M. des Bruyeres, tells 
me that he is fifty if he is a day. Only the sea can produce 
such miracles. Amidst all our enjoyment, that which gives 
auntie and me the greatest pleasure is to hear the way they 
speak of our dear Rend, and to feel that all this display of 
gallantry is really to show us their esteem for him, their sin- 
cere admiration for his intrepidity, and their brotherly pride in 
him as a mess-mate. I write thus openly to you, dear Bertha, 
because I know that no one appreciates our sailor boy better 
than you. Many a time, when, for fear of grieving auntie, I have 
had to restrain myself from making a confidant of her, I have 
found in you the faithful echo of my ambitions and hopes on 
the subject of my adopted brother’s career. Certainly, the 
path he has chosen is difficult and dangerous. With the 
taste for adventures which governs him, obstacles and perils 
multiply under his feet. While we are dancing, and going 
from fete to fete^ one cannot forget that he is exposed to the 
most fearful risks; that he is all but alone at the bottom of the 
sea ; that any minute the element he has dared to brave may 
turn upon him, swallow him up and destroy him in a twin- 
kling. These apprehensions of mine, which I combat daily in 
my aunt, I dare not mention to any one but you. I feel some- 
times tempted to speak of them to Stephen ; but with his un- 
fortunate mania for considering me as Rend’s fiancee^ he 
would be sure to misinterpret my fears. And remembering 
your lectures on the subject, my sage Minerva, while refusing 
to sue for his good graces, I refrain from tormenting him use- 
lessly. Still I get very impatient now and then. 

“ I wish, as I said before, that the suspense was over. 
Though I do not own it to Aunt Alice, I begin to think that 
Rend’s absence is rather a long one. It is true he did not 
fix any precise time for his return; indeed, he hardly let us 


Helene Rieux to Bertha Luza 7 i. 109 

know when he intended to set out ; but it is now twenty days 
since we saw the water close over the Titania, and he left us 
the next day. Ah ! it was a beautiful sight, and I did feel 
proud ! I felt nothing but joy and hope that day. How I 
laughed with Lieutenant Briant (another of these amiable fel- 
lows) at the scarcely veiled pretentions of the Prince of Monte 
Cristo ! This noble personage, who is all polite attention to 
your humble servant, has the weakness to imagine himself — 
Rend’s first attempts having been made on board the Cmder- 
ella — the real inventor, and consequently the hero of the ex- 
ploits of the Titania. He established himself here with his 
yacht for the day of the launching, and it was rare fun to see 
him strutting about on shore afterwards, boasting in a patron- 
izing way of the merits of his ‘ young associate,’ giving all to 
understand that the veritable explorer of the deep was the 
Prince of Monte Cristo. Everything was brilliant and gay 
that day, and I had no fears, for Rent’s face was full of 
confidence. I seemed to read success in it. If we only could 
get news of him ! Every minute now seems longer and 
heavier. Forgive me, dear friend, for thus communicating my 
fears to you, but it is such a relief to me, since I am obliged 
to hide them from auntie. If they should prove vain, she may 
as well be spared them, but if not, heaven grant I may find 
resources of consolation and comfort for her, or that the need 
may be long deferred. 

“Yours affectionately, 

“ Helene.” 

The gloomy presentiments which gradually filled 
poor Helene’s courageous soul, and of which she un- 
bosomed herself in her letter to her friend, did not 
take shape in Madame Caoudal’s mind. The reason 


I lO 


The Crystal City. 


of it was that her terror of the sea and everything 
to do with it was, so to speak, chronic ; and all her 
friends, out of respectful pity at the thought of what 
might be in store for her, rivalled each other in the 
ingenuity with which they sought to lull her possible 
fears, and to persuade her to pass in comparative 
quiet the days of suspense in which, while a disaster 
was dreaded, there was, at least, a chance of good 
news arriving. And so well did they succeed, 
that, while Helene, as the days went by, felt doubt 
gnawing at her heart, Rene’s mother had never 
suspected what all around her were trying to hide 
from her. 

It was by this time twenty -seven days since 
Rene and Kermadec had disappeared in search of 
the unknown. On board the Hercules they said 
already that some disaster, or at least some acci- 
dent, must have befallen them. According to their 
calculation, Caoudal ought to have been able five 
or six times over to telegraph news of himself, 
from ports he would touch at. What could have 
prevented him ? Had he exhausted his provisions, 
or his supply of air ? Human strength and endur- 
ance have their limits ; a man cannot live without 
rest and food at the bottom of the sea, — and then, 
he knew with what affectionate anxiety he was 
looked for at Brest. Surely, unless the Titania 
had perished with everything belonging to her, she 


Hele 7 te Rieux to Bertha Luzan, 1 1 1 

would have given signs of life. This dark silence 
augured very badly. 

Captain Harancourt, himself the least pessimistic 
of men, was of that opinion, and now, when he saw 
Madame Caoudal and her niece, did everything in 
his power in dissimulating the profound compassion 
he felt for them, and was still to all appearance the 
amiable and cheery man they knew, speaking with- 
out visible constraint about Caoudal’s enterprise, and 
affecting a confidence of which, in his heart of 
hearts, he had not a vestige left. 

Doctor Patrice was by no means the least anxious 
of them. Near neighbours of the Caoudals, whose 
domain touched their small property, his parents 
had always been intimate friends of the family ; his 
father, a surgeon in the navy, like himself, had, when 
quite young, been present at the death of Rene’s 
grandfather, who was mortally wounded before Bo- 
marsund. Monsieur and Madame Patrice had known 
and appreciated him for whom Madame Caoudal had 
mourned the first year of her married life ; and the 
widow, sustained in those cruel moments by the 
faithful friendship of her neighbours, had always 
remained attached to them by ties of recollection 
and gratitude. And when Stephen’s father and 
mother died, both of them long before the ordinary 
term nature has assigned to human life, the young 
man had found in Madame Caoudal a second mother. 


I 12 


The Crystal City. 


She had encouraged him in his studies, and aided 
him in every way in his career, had always welcomed 
him at her fireside, and had procured for him the 
inestimable advantage, which nothing can replace 
afterwards, the appearance, manner, and tone which 
a youth learns by friendly intercourse with a well- 
bred woman. He felt for her a truly filial affection, 
and, with the full consciousness of all he owed to 
her, he could hardly help looking upon the irresisti- 
ble love he felt for Helene as a breach of confidence. 
He had been attracted by her, from almost the first 
day when she came to enliven “The Poplars,” by 
her brightness and gentleness. He had made it a 
rule to efface himself in favour of Rene from the 
time when that young gentleman had manifested the 
least willingness to satisfy his mother’s wish that he 
should marry Hdene ; and, if sometimes it seemed to 
him that it was he whom she preferred, he shut his 
eyes resolutely to the dazzling vision. But, as it 
happened, all this delicacy was thrown away. Every- 
thing, from the first, was against the realization of 
the good lady’s wishes. Of an imperious nature and 
with a strong love of ruling, she failed to see that 
Rene, her very image in this respect, would object 
to being coerced in such a matter ; and that he re- 
served to himself, not without a right, the privilege 
of choosing his future companion. Above all, she 
could not admit that, beautiful and accomplished as 


Hel'e^ie Rieux to Bertha Luzan, 113 

Hdene was, and sharing as she did his tastes, he 
should not reasonably prefer her to any one else ; not 
understanding that, for an adventurous fellow like 
Rene, the strange, the unknown, would have a thou- 
sand times more attraction than the perfections he 
met with in his cousin. Stephen himself had seen 
and felt this for some time, but would not allow him- 
self to build any hopes upon it. When he had heard 
Rene’s glowing description of his incomparable Un- 
dine, and had seen how she had become the subject 
of all his thoughts, a feeling of satisfaction came 
into his mind, but he quickly repressed it. Good 
heavens ! What would Madame Caoudal say if she 
should have to face the possibility of receiving, as 
the future mistress of “The Poplars,” a woman 
clothed a la Grecqiie^ a person speaking a mysterious 
language, a nymph, a siren ! Truly, without being 
taxed with having rigorous provincial prejudice, one 
might be excused for recoiling before such a daugh- 
ter-in-law. 

The fears that the doctor felt at this time as to 
the fate of the Titania and her two passengers were 
mixed, therefore, with other confused personal appre- 
hensions ; a feverish expectation of some strange 
thing about to happen, some audacious enterprise, 
foolish, or, at any rate, out of the beaten track. It 
was in this state of mind that he received a message 
from the Prefecture Maritime^ accompanied by a 
sealed packet : 


The Crystal City, 


114 

“To Doctor Patrice: 

“ Sir : — A tin case containing a bottle carefully corked and 
sealed, picked up at sea some distance west of this port by a 
fishing smack, has been handed in this evening at the Prefec- 
ture Maritime. When opened, the bottle was found to contain 
a glass tube, in which had been placed a letter carefully sealed 
and addressed to you, along with this note : ‘ Please forward 
this letter without delay. '' We hasten to profit by your so- 
journ at Brest, to send it to you at once. Believe me, sir, 
Yours, etc., etc.” 

The doctor tore the letter open. It was from 
Rene ! 

“My Dear Stephen: 

“It is now a week since I left you. The Titania has 
proved all that I could wish ; swift, strong, easy to manage, 
without any defects in her outer shell or her internal ar- 
rangements. I am now on good terms with myself, and 
feel ready to face those who have aided my invention. But 
that does not mean that I am coming back to Brest, to 
resume the peaceful monotony of my old life, without a 
longer cruise. 

“You will fully understand me, or I am much mistaken. 
You know what it has been given to me to have a glimpse of. 
Having once set foot in this marvellous world, having been 
admitted to contemplate quasi-divine beings, and to hear the 
music of their language, having drunk of the cup placed to my 
lips by the hand of the enchantress, and having received from 
her a token of remembrance, is it possible, think you, for me 
to resign myself tamely to the cultivation of cabbages in my 
garden for the rest of my days, instead of occupying my time 
by adding something to the page of history ? But you know 


Hel'ene Rieux to Bertha Luzan. 115 

me better. I might as well be stripped at once of youth and 
health. For reasons which I can guess, and which do you 
honour, you fear to encourage the hopes and wishes you per- 
ceived in me, and you have closed your ear to my confidences. 
It is all of no use, my dear fellow! No considerations or 
counsels of prudence can efface that which has happened to 
me ; and that being so, there is only one course open to me : 
the imperious necessity of a complete understanding, the 
thirst to know the final outcome of this mystery, even if 
I burn my wings, or am altogether consumed. From the first 
day, on my awakening, fastened to the barrel and tossed about 
by the waves, my intention has been unaltered ; I want to see 
her, speak to her, understand her, make myself understood by 
her. Night and day I have thought of her. Insane thoughts, 
some will say — thoughts of a man who should be shut up in 
a lunatic asylum. What would these wise people say if they 
knew that I have seen her again! Yes, again! At first, the 
obstacles seemed unsurmountable, the attempt foolish and hope- 
less ; before the result was obtained it seemed as if I were 
playing a child’s game. What did I not suffer before arriving 
so far? Well protected, well caulked in my diving-bell, and 
quite at my ease, I descended repeatedly to the bottom of the 
ocean. I have made voyages of exploration in the Sea of the 
Azores which mortals in love with novelty would envy me. 
Was that altogether rash and foolish? It seems to me that 
humanity must be very indifferent, and have very little curi- 
osity, to let the centuries accumulate without trying to pene- 
trate the mystery hidden in our seas, in our globe ! However, 
as I said before, I have seen her again. My divinity inhabits 
a crystal mansion through whose transparent walls I have been 
permitted to gaze for a second time upon her unrivalled per- 
fections. I long to find my way into this palace. But how ? 
By what means ? I do not know, but I am ready for anything. 


The Crystal City, 


1 16 

any chance of accomplishing it. The only thing I am anxious 
about is the kind of reception I may meet with. I do not 
forget that the old man in the white robe was determined that 
my stay should not be prolonged more than was absolutely 
necessary. At the same time, I am equally sure that his 
charming daughter pleaded for me, and wished to keep me 
near her ; and that, you see, gives me courage to brave anger 
much more formidable than that of her majestic guardian. 
Something tells me that she is waiting for me, that she finds 
me weak and tardy, armed as I am with her ring, in not yet 
having opened up some way of getting to her t What is her life 
like? What are her occupations in this fairy palace, so like 
a prison, withal? Perhaps she is wearied to death in the 
midst of the splendour. What is the mystery of this life of 
hers? A thousand hypotheses come into my brain, each in 
turn to be destroyed in my endeavours to solve it. I tell you 
all this, reserving to myself to make known the truth to every- 
body when I shall have discovered the clue. But when I re- 
call the face which surpasses in beauty anything I could have 
imagined, and think of the enchanting accents of her voice, 
the legend of the sirens is no longer a myth to me, but must 
be based upon an incomplete adventure analogous to mine, of 
some traveller of ancient times. Any way, whatever comes 
of it, I will know soon, or perish in the attempt. Do not 
accuse me of folly or egotism, my dear Stephen. Make 
excuses for me, if I fail, to those whom I have left on shore. 
I swear to you that the power which guides me and compels 
me to act is irresistible. To remain inactive, to resolve never 
to pierce the mystery partly disclosed to me, would be to give 
the lie to my vocation, to condemn me to despair, or the folly 
of delay. I must go where I am called ! It is because you 
will plead my case with those I love best on earth that I have 
told you this long story. 


Hel'eiie Rieux to Bertha Luza^i, 1 1 7 

“ You are nearer than any one else to my mother and 
Hdlene. Make them understand that I was powerless to 
disobey the imperious impulse which hurries me on. If I 
do not come back you will take my place with them. 

“ Yours ever, 

“ Rene Caoudal. 

“ P. S. It is ten o’clock in the morning. We are just above 
the precise point where I have verified the locality of the sub- 
marine conservatory. There is just time to close this letter 
and to seal up the bottle, which I am going to throw into the 
Gulf Stream ; and I am going to make my great plunge. 
Adieu, everybody.” 


CHAPTER XL 


FUNERAL ORATIONS. 

Doctor Patrice lost no time in showing the 
letter to Madame Caoudal and Hdene. At first, on 
seeing her son’s writing, she believed him safe ; but, 
after reading his letter and realizing that it was 
dated three weeks back, she found it difficult to 
cherish any hope. All was over. Her Rene, her 
well-beloved, had met his death in this foolish enter- 
prise. Moreover, she had always had a present!^ 
ment, or rather had always felt sure, that the rapa- 
cious sea would take her son from her, as it had 
taken his father. Those blue waves, which seemed 
to. smile at the heavens, were to be the grave of 
all belonging to her. Kismet was written on them. 
How had she ever hoped for anything different } 
Why struggle against fate ? Had she not known 
for certain how it would be, from the time that 
Ren^ embraced the abhorred career ^ Unhappy 
child ! Had she not better have lost him in his 
cradle.^ — and not have fondled him, cherished and 
brought him up, only to suffer his irreparable loss 
by shipwreck ! Was it not enough to drive her to 



Patrice reading Rene’s Letter 





Funeral Oraliofis, 119 

despair ? And the weeping mother abandoned her- 
self to grief. 

It was in vain that Helene, forgetting her own 
grief in order to combat that which was killing 
Madame Caoudal under her very eyes, forced her- 
self to find words of consolation, to inspire in her 
aunt hopes which she herself no longer felt. Not 
only did Madame Caoudal repulse any arguments in 
favour of her son’s safety, but was irritated when 
Helene timidly suggested that another, later, letter 
might have miscarried. 

How absurd you are, my dear child ! ” she 
cried. Do letters get lost } In all your existence 
do you remember more than one instance of it, 
or two at the most } No, no, there are no letters 
because he has not written, and if he has not 
written, my poor boy, it is because he is — ” 
And, unable to pronounce the terrible word, the 
unhappy woman hid her face in her hands. 

But, Aunt Alice,” persisted Helene, her own 
eyes full of tears, “you know very well that I am 
not speaking of ordinary letters, simply put in 
the post. This letter has come to us in an unusual 
way, by an unlooked-for courier. How do we 
know that he has not sent others that may be now 
floating on the water, waiting to be picked up ” 

“ I tell you there is no chance of it,” cried 
Madame Caoudal, perhaps in order to hear herself 


120 


The Crystal City, 


contradicted, and to argue against her secret convic- 
tion. “No, I was a widow ; I had but one son, and 
now I have no child — I survive all my loved ones — 
it is only myself that death does not wish for.” 

“ Oh, Aunt Alice, do I not belong to you ? Are 
you childless as long as you have your little girl.-^” 

“ Forgive me, my dear child. Grief is making 
me unkind,” said the desolate mother, clasping the 
young girl in her arms. “Your affection is very 
sweet to me. You do not doubt it In mourning 
him I mourn for you as well as for myself. If I 
lose a son, do not you lose a lover ? And such a 
lover ! could any young girl wish for one more 
charming.?” 

“ Nevertheless, I will not weep for him ! ” replied 
Helene, with all the cheerfulness she could muster, 
not wishing to notice this embarrassing assumption. 
“Something tells me that he will come back to us — 
and then — what joy ! ” 

“ Poor little thing ! you are young, — at your age 
one can still dare to hope against evidence. But I, 
you see, have suffered too much. It is all over. 
Besides, I knew beforehand how it would be.” 

These were Madame Caoudal’s best moments. At 
other times, plunged in gloomy silence, she aban- 
doned herself to grief in a way that wrung Helene’s 
heart. The brave girl could find no words with 
which to heal so cruel a wound ; the state of her 


Funeral Orations, 


I2I 


aunt caused her so much grief and uneasiness, that 
she, herself, durst not indulge in the relief of tears. 

Doctor Patrice did his best to second her affec- 
tionate efforts. But what could they say — what 
could they do — when they really shared her opin- 
ion ? They thought at first it would be better to 
take her to “The Poplars,” thinking that in her 
own house, with all the familiar surroundings, and, 
above all, as far as possible from the sea, at which 
she could not look without shuddering, she might 
regain some degree of calmness, and might come in 
time to resign herself with less difficulty. But 
Madame Caoudal very decidedly opposed the sug- 
gestion. She would not quit that town till she 
heard something definite. “It was from this place 
he left ; and it is to this place he will come back, — 
if he does come back,” she repeated. And they 
could only yield to a wish so clearly expressed. 
Helene, herself, was really glad to stay where 
she was. It seemed to her that her aunt was 
right, and that Ren6, if he came back at all, would 
come there. And then had they not received here 
the welcome sympathy of their new friends on 
board the Hercules^ and of their old friend Stephen } 

His devotion was indefatigable. If any one could 
have replaced the absent one, it would have been he. 
Every day she felt increasingly how much his sym- 
pathy helped her. Indeed, the young savant must 


122 


The Crystal City, 


have been blind not to have noticed it, but both he 
and Madame Caoudal seemed attacked with the same 
blindness, for, day after day, she persuaded herself 
still that Rene and Helene were plighted lovers, 
while the sadness and reserve of the poor man 
became more and more marked. If HeRne could 
have overheard, unobserved, a conversation between 
the officers of the Hercules, perhaps she would have 
better understood this reserve. It was one evening 
when these gentlemen had left Madame Caoudal’s 
salon, after having spent the evening with her. , 

Mademoiselle Rieux is truly charming ! ” began 
Harancourt. She appears to be as good as she 
is pretty. How touching her affection is for her 
sorely tried aunt ! ” 

“True,” said Briant ; “if the expression had not 
become too commonplace, one would say she is her 
guardian angel.” 

“ A very pretty little angel, who employs a very 
good dressmaker,” said that frivolous youth Bruyeres. 
“ You know these ladies well, Patrice } ” 

“Very well,” replied the doctor, coldly. 

“ Happy mortal ! And, I imagine. Mademoiselle 
Rieux has a very good income.” 

“ Probably,” answered Patrice, still more icily. 

“ Poor Caoudal ! If he should not come back as 
is to be feared, his cousin will inherit his fortune 

The doctor was silent. 


Funeral Orations, 


123 


“ Will she inherit it ? ” repeated Bruyeres, lightly. 
“ Do not take offence at my question, I beg, for I 
bear no grudge against Caoudal, and do him no 
harm in merely stating what, after all, is the fact.” 

“The devil !” ejaculated the captain. “ If, indeed. 
Mademoiselle Rieux is the poor boy’s heiress, she 
will certainly be one of the wealthiest heiresses in 
the country. You know I come from their neigh- 
bourhood ; I know their property.” 

“Well, tell us, Patrice, what are the prospects of 
this charming guardian angel ? ” inquired Bruyeres, 
who seemed to take a malicious pleasure in torment- 
ing the doctor. 

“ I know nothing whatever about the prospects of 
Mademoiselle Rieux,” replied Patrice, exasperated. 
“ And, to speak plainly, I do not think the question 
concerns either you or me.” 

Upon this, he turned on his heel, and made his 
way down a side street. Des Bruyeres burst into a 
laugh. 

“ Well, well, well ! Can it be that he has designs 
in that quarter himself } ” cried he. “ We seem to 
be touching on delicate ground.” 

“We must admit,” said the captain, “that the 
discussion is not in the best taste, and we cannot be 
surprised if an old friend of the family resents it.” 

“On my honour that is true,” replied Bruyeres, 
frankly. “ But I did not think I was sinning against 


124 


The Crystal City, 


propriety in proclaiming aloud my admiration for 
the charming young girl or in inquiring (quite dis- 
interestedly, I assure you) the amount of her 
fortune.” 

“ The life of the poor mother will be crushed if 
that unhappy boy does not turn up,” said the 
captain, by way of changing the subject. “Can 
there be a more pitiable lot than that of sailors’ 
wives, mothers, sweethearts, sisters } There is always 
mourning hanging over them.” 

“ Oh, captain ! I hope you are not going t(5 spread 
such pessimistic views among marriageable young 
ladies,” said Bruyeres, with assumed anxiety. “ That 
would handicap us all cruelly.” 

“ Don’t trouble yourself, my boy,” said Monsieur 
Harancourt ; “ it is not such as you that are likely to 
be regretted. Why did you worry poor Patrice like 
that .? ” 

“ Why does he worry himself at what I said ? A 
cat may look at a king, they say, much more a 
lieutenant at an amiable young girl, it seems to 
me.” 

“ No matter,” interrupted Monsieur Briant, “ I am 
of the captain’s opinion, that such questions must 
trouble Patrice. Has he not shown himself a good 
fellow in declining to answer them ? ” 

“ Well, if everybody is of that opinion, good even- 
ing, I ’m off. But I stick to what I have said. 



The Officers of the “ Hercules.” 






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Funeral Orations. 125 

Mademoiselle Rieux is charming, and if she is rich 
into the bargain, the navy should enter the lists ! 
And I, for one — I say it without any false modesty 
— am ready to do my duty as an officer and a 
Frenchman.” 

And, with a hearty laugh, he left his companions, 
who were in too serious a mood this evening to suit 
his taste. 

As for Patrice, this new idea, presented in such a 
thoughtless manner by the lieutenant, was like a 
stab to him. If RenI were lost, He'ltne would in- 
herit his fortune ! She would bey as the captain said, 
one of the richest heiresses in the coimtry. He was, 
therefore, more than ever bound to watch over him- 
self, lest he should betray his secret. If Hdene’s 
fortune were doubled, there was nothing for it but 
to fly, to leave nothing undone to stifle the love he 
felt for her. Oh, how he wished, more and more, 
that Rene would come safe and sound out of this 
unlucky adventure ! Des Bruyeres had spoken as if 
he suspected something. Could it be that he, Patrice, 
looked as if he were seeking her for the sake of her 
money } Better that he never saw her again. What 
a pity it was ! What a pity ! She was so sweet ! 
And Patrice was more sure than ever that their affec- 
tion for one another was only that of brother and 
sister. Hence the grave, almost cold formality, which 
the doctor manifested from day to day, added an ele- 


126 


The Crystal City. 


ment of sadness and restraint to their existence, 
painful enough before. 

Among all the friends of the ladies, he who af- 
fected to take the deepest interest in their fears and 
hopes was, beyond a doubt, the Prince of Monte 
Cristo. At first, wherever he went, his one aim 
was to monopolize everybody’s attention. Whatever 
was going on, whether happy or unhappy, war, ship- 
wreck, victory, or horse-racing, the marriage or de- 
cease of friends, his highness made it his business, 
wherever he found himself, to play the most promi- 
nent role. And, from the first, the worthy man had 
taken Rene’s disappearance in hand, so to speak. 
Every day he came, officious, important, talkative, to 
announce — that he had no news for them. Every 
day he perambulated the port, offering princely re- 
wards to any one who would bring him news of the 
lost boat. He wrote letters to the papers informing 
them that “ The Prince of Monte Cristo, deeply af- 
fected by the probable loss of his young collaborator. 
Lieutenant Caoudal (whom he had to some extent 
incited to the hazardous enterprise), intended to 
forego his usual summer cruise, and to institute 
‘in person’ a search for him on board his yacht 
Cinderella.'' Dead or alive, he announced, nobly, he 
would find his friend. The Monte Cristos, as every 
one knew, were faithful to their high birth. Their 
motto compelled them to be so. Everybody knew 


Funeral Orations, 


127 


that it comprised the simple words: “Till Death.” 
And the last of his race would not jeopardize in his 
person the renown of his royal house. 

Intoxicated by all this self-satisfaction, the worthy 
man became ubiquitous. He was either in the town, 
in the harbour, or in Madame Caoudal’s drawing- 
room ; and the poor woman was nearly worn out. 
She had learnt to dread his ring at the door -bell, 
and the way in which he seated himself in front of 
her, throwing his gloves into his hat with a peremp- 
tory gesture, and slapping his knees after the manner 
of a man much pleased with himself. 

“To-day, madame,” he would say, in a stentorian 
voice, “we have accomplished a step, if I may so 
express myself ! ” 

“What has happened, my dear sir.^” the poor 
lady would inquire, trembling. 

“We have decided, madame, to send down our 
regretted Rene’s diving-bell.” 

“ Do you mean, sir, that you are going ^ ” 

“ Excuse me, madame ! It is Aere that I propose 
to begin our search.” 

“ But, since he himself has sent us word that he left 
these waters — ’’objected Madame Caoudal, perplexed. 

“ No matter, no matter ! that is a mere detail. I 
was saying that we would make soundings, here, in 
the first instance. If they should have no result (as 
there is only too good reason to fear) — ” 


128 


The Crystal City. 


“Would it not be better, in that case, to search 
where there would be more chance of finding him ? ” 
timidly interrupted Madame Caoudal. “ I certainly 
never have ventured to ask you, sir ! But since you 
have the goodness to offer it to me — ” 

“ One moment, dear madame. We must search 
here^ first, in case (very improbably, by the way,) our 
dear young friend had lost himself on his way back. 
If we are not successful, we shall be free to try 
somewhere else.” 

“ Then we have gained nothing,” said Madame 
Caoudal, whose hopes were once more frustrated. 

“ So far, no, madame, no. But, never fear, I have 
undertaken to find him ; and, alive or dead^ I will 
bring him to you, on the word of honour of Monte 
Cristo ! ” 

And he settled himself in his arm-chair with a 
defiant gesture like the pose in his famous three- 
quarter portrait, by Bonnat. 

At other times, he set himself to describe or, 
rather, to analyze to her, her son’s character, never 
appearing to think that she probably knew fully as 
much about him, and could have dispensed with so 
much idle chatter. 

“Your son, madame, is what I should describe as 
a man in the vanguard! He will always be in ad- 
vance of his time. And it is for that reason that he 
will never succeed in anything.” 


Funeral Oratio7is. 


129 


^‘Excuse me, sir,” said Madame Caoudal, her 
motherly pride wounded, “ my poor boy, on the con- 
trary, always has succeeded in everything that he 
has undertaken ! Even this unfortunate boat, as 
you can prove, accomplished just what he intended. 
And all his life Rene has been neat handed. We 
have noticed it hundreds of times, have n’t we, 
Helene ” 

“ Quite so, quite so, madame. But what I mean 
to say is, that your son, being naturally too adven- 
turous to be satisfied to run in beaten paths, was 
certain to engage in some adventure, — what shall I 
call it — rash, imprudent, unreasonable.” 

Good heavens, my dear sir, he does not seem to 
have been considered very unreasonable ; this last 
experiment of his succeeded so well, if my memory 
serves me, that your highness claims a large share of 
his invention ! ” 

“Very true, perfectly correct, madame,” replied 
the prince, rolling his eyes. And he indulged in an 
expressive pantomimic performance behind Madame 
Caoudal’s back, tapping his forehead and regarding 
her with a compassionate look, as if to say that her 
grief had rendered her incapable of following any 
serious reasoning. 

After this the intercourse between the two became 
less frequent, and had it not been for the lively ad- 
miration he professed for Mademoiselle Rieux, and 


130 


The Crystal City, 


his excessive desire to mix himself up with every- 
thing, far or near, that excited public curiosity, his 
royal highness would have soon ceased to have any- 
thing to do with these “ commoners,” who seemed 
perfectly unconscious of his condescension in showing 
them attention. It is true that he considered it quite 
up-to-date ” and worthy of himself, so to speak, to 
put his crown in his pocket, and appear, in the pres- 
ence of women, as a man of the world. But he 
would not have been displeased at finding his con- 
duct regarded as magnanimous. However, in spite 
of the occasional stabs he administered each time 
that he found himself in Madame Caoudal’s com- 
pany, he persisted in playing his part of friend and 
protector of the family, and in showing himself at 
her house. 

The Heracles soon had to leave Brest for the 
Mediterranean, and Madame Caoudal and Hdene 
were very glad when Patrice told them that he should 
not go on this voyage, at any rate. They had no 
difficulty in guessing that he had decided on this in 
order to remain near them for a time ; and the moral 
support of his presence was most precious to them 
in their increasing distress. 


CHAPTER XII. 


KERMADEC’S MISSION. 

Early one morning, Doctor Patrice was setting 
out to make his usual call on Madame Caoudal. As 
he left his own door, he almost fell back against it ; 
for whom should he see, but Yvon Kermadec ! The 
sailor, smarter than ever, with his nose in the air, 
his cheerful face and sailor’s waddle, looked about 
him with his bright blue eyes, as if the whole place 
belonged to him. His flourishing appearance showed 
that he was by no means the worse for his absence. 
Patrice made one bound towards him. 

“ Why, Kermadec, that can’t be you ! Where 
have you sprung from ? And Rene — your master 
— where is he ” 

“ My master is as well as you or I, sir.” 

“ Is he here ? ” 

'' Well, no,” said the topman, shaking his head in 
a mysterious manner. And, with his right thumb 
pointing over his left shoulder, he indicated a vague 
point in space. 

“ Where is he, then ? How is it you have come 


132 The Crystal City, 

alone ? What has become of the boat ? We thought 
you were lost.” 

“ Much the same thing,” replied the seaman, mys- 
teriously. “ Upon my word, if any one knew how we 
have spent our time since we left they would open 
their eyes.” 

“ Have you seen Madame Caoudal, yet } ” 

No, doctor, my business is with you.” 

“ With me I Why } Are you ill ? ” 

For that matter, no. I must say the air is good 
there (though there is not much of it) ; seeing that 
I never was better in my life.” 

“ In that case what do you want with me ^ ” 

“ This : I am sent by my officer with a message to 
the surgeon-major. He told me to bring you back 
with me.” 

“What! To take me back with you Where, 
you booby.? ” 

Once more the sailor made the sign with his 
thumb towards the same vague region as before, 
winking in a mysterious manner. 

“ What do you mean .? ” said the doctor, turning 
around on him. 

“ Sh — sh — sh — not so loud ! My master desires 
that no one shall know where he is at this 
moment.” 

“ But where is he .? if I may venture discreetly to 
ask.” 


Kermadec s Missio7t, 


133 


‘‘Well, sir, to tell no lies about it, it is a rum kind 
of a place, and with rum ways of going on.” And 
Kermadec raised his eyes and hands to heaven, as 
if the ways and goings on were beyond his powers to 
describe. 

“ Come ! what are you trying to say ? Explain 
yourself, if that is possible.” 

“ Well, then,” said Kermadec, having prudently 
looked around to assure himself that no one could 
hear him, “ you see my officer and I have taken a 
voyage — one of those voyages — ” 

“ Very good. You wish me to understand that he 
has arrived at the home of the people he was in 
search of.” 

“ Ah, then, you are in the secret, sir. Well, that 
is so. My master is living in clover, I can tell you ; 
and, saving your honour’s respect, I, too, have noth- 
ing to complain of. If I had been able to write 
home to my cousin (who is a tidy sort of a girl) they 
would none of them have believed me.” 

“ But to your story ? ” 

“ Well, to make a long story short, the old gentle- 
man (your honour knows who I mean ?) this here old 
man, who they say has lived more than a hundred 
years, is beginning to feel that he is getting old. 
Seems to me that you may live like a fish under 
water for a hundred years without heaving the an- 
chor ! Well, as I was saying, he is ill, poor old 


134 The Crystal City, 

gentleman, and my master wants you to come and 
see him.” 

“ Devil take you ! Am I to go to the bottom of 
the sea to feel the pulse of this old Father Neptune.?” 

“ Saving your honour’s respect, sir ! However, 
here is the letter my master charged me to give you,” 
added Kermadec, feeling in the pocket of his pea- 
jacket. 

“You have a letter; then why didn’t you say so 
before .? ” said the doctor, seizing the paper out of 
the sailor’s hand. He tore open the envelope, and 
saw that it was indeed his friend’s handwriting. It 
ran as follows : 

“ I write to you again, dear Stephen, because I have 
a special and urgent request to make to you ; but this letter 
is quite as much for my mother and Helene as for you. And 
first of all let me cry victory ! I am in port, I have gained 
my end, and I am now writing to you on a mother-of-pearl 
table at the bottom of the sea, near the Azores, in the enchanted 
palace of Atlantis ! That is the name of her whom I vowed 
to see again and whom I have found! If I were to tell you 
by what means I succeeded, I should need a volume. I will 
limit myself to a few important details. As you already know, 
I had, with my diving-bell, ascertained the precise site of the 
submarine dwelling ; but I did not then know that it comprised 
an immense conservatory lighted up by a luminous source as 
brilliant as that of the sun, this light diffusing itself under the 
water to a considerable distance, and it assisted me to find my 
way here. Arrived at the region I knew to be in the neigh- 
bourhood of the dwelling, I opened the cisterns containing 


Kermadec s Mission, 


135 


the water, as I no longer needed the weight for sinking, ran 
my boat along, extinguishing the electric light, and keeping 
a sharp lookout through a port-hole. We had not gone more 
than two hundred yards, when the distant light began to be 
perceptible. It rapidly increased in brilliance, and it soon 
became possible to distinguish the focus and to steer for it. 
Forty minutes after I left the surface I found myself in con- 
tact with the crystal wall of the magic palace. But this time 
I was in possession of an apparatus infinitely more manage- 
able, and I was able to pursue a regular investigation. I 
began by recognizing the form of the exterior of the conserva- 
tory. As I had supposed from my previous visit, it was composed 
of long, rectangular galleries, surmounted at regular distances 
by hemispheric cupolas. I saw even the breakage I had made 
with my diving-bell in one of the cupolas, and which had not 
been repaired ; but what I failed to find in any part was 
a door, or any means whatever of effecting an entrance. In 
vain I went round and round the illuminated building, which 
was fully forty acres in extent ; there appeared to be no break 
in the continuity of the transparent wall, against which I strug- 
gled much in the same way as a fly does when trying to get 
through a pane of glass to the outer air. I was just debating 
whether I should be driven to use force to penetrate into this 
submarine kingdom, and wondering what the consequences 
might be of such a burglarious proceeding, when my attention' 
was attracted by a low part of the glass wall arranged like the 
basin of a lock, and I came closer to make a more minute 
investigation. The result of this examination was that I found 
myself right in front of a vast cistern or well, placed vertically 
above a second basin, which was empty like a dry dock, and 
bounded by movable walls provided with racks. No doubt 
this was really a lock, that is to say a veritable entrance. 
But how to get this door opened, the door by which I must 


The Crystal City, 


136 

have entered once before ? That was the next question. 
After mature deliberation I resolved to adopt the usual meas- 
ure in cases when one desires admission, no matter where, by 
knocking at the door. For this purpose I had only to grasp 
a hammer with the india-rubber arm I had on the flank of 
the Titania. Immediately a pealing sound from the blows 
on the glass doors was heard throughout the passages of the 
conservatory, as I was afterwards told, though the noise I 
made was hardly perceptible to my ears. I speedily saw the 
effect of my loud knock. The old man of the sea, who I have 
since learned calls himself Charicles, appeared, followed by his 
charming daughter. At the sight of my submarine boat he 
seemed profoundly astonished, and at first hardly knew what 
he ought to do. But very soon the sentiment of hospitality 
Swallowed up his fear of the unknown, and he stepped towards 
the windlass of the lock and turned it with a hand and arm 
that were still vigourous. Slowly the movable wall of the 
upper chamber opened in front of the Titania^ which floated 
in it after three turns of the screw. At once the rack came 
into operation in an inverse manner, so as to shut the upper 
doors, while the lower doors opened, in their turn, to allow the 
sea water to flow into the lower basin. The Titania sank into 
it also, and found herself inclosed in this temporary prison. 
Then the basin emptied itself, my boat rested dry on the fine 
sand of the floor, and the glass doors which separated me 
from the conservatory sliding along their grooves, I judged 
that the moment had arrived for throwing back the folding- 
doors of my cabin. You have seen at Brest how promptly 
this is done. 

“ My sudden appearance, rising from the cockpit, closely 
resembled that of a Jack-in-the-box, the toy we and our nurses 
used to delight in as children. It appeared to have a very 
startling effect on the old man of the sea. No doubt his 



Rene admitted to the Crystal City 


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Kermadec s Mission. 


137 


surprise and anger were too much for him, when he recog- 
nized, in his unexpected visitor, the same intruder whom he 
had so promptly dismissed on a previous occasion. Any way, 
he stood transfixed for a moment, uttered a few disjointed 
words, and then fell suddenly back in a heap on the floor. 
With his daughter and Kermadec I hastened to his assist- 
ance, for he had lost consciousness. It did not take us long 
to carry him to an adjoining room and lay him on the very 
couch upon which I had once rested. But our efforts to bring 
him back to consciousness were powerless. His daughter 
bemoaned him in a musical language which is a dialect of 
ancient Greece, as I had presumed. I did my best to encour- 
age her, while assisting her in restoring the old man, but 
could not succeed in either. What can I say, my dear 
Stephen? For ten days Kermadec and I have been here, and 
the master of the house has not recovered his senses. Atlan- 
tis is at last convinced that, though I was the involuntary 
cause of this misfortune, at least, I am sparing nothing to 
repair it. We have succeeded in exchanging a few words. I 
have told her that I have come again solely to see her, and 
she has given me to understand that the remembrance of my 
first visit is always present with her. 

“ Her old father and she are the last living representatives 
of the ancient race of the Atlantes. I am told that at an 
epoch, lost in the night of ages, their ancestors, refusing to 
leave their native soil, which was slowly being inundated by 
the waters of the Atlantic, had called to their aid all the 
resources of a science already far advanced in refinement, to 
struggle against the ocean, and to create for themselves in its 
depths an artificial existence. In fact, nothing on earth 
resembles this habitation, modelled and contrived in all its 
parts by the hand of man. Light, air, food, clothing, — there is 
nothing here that has not been provided by artistic ingenuity 


138 The Crystal City, 

and dexterity. Animal and vegetable life even is in defiance 
of all natural laws. 

“ The duration and constancy of the struggle seem to have 
resulted in the highest possible development of the creative 
and productive powers of this submerged race. But, never- 
theless, they have gradually had the worst of it in the strug- 
gle, since the race is now reduced to two individuals, Charicles 
and his daughter. But the results obtained in the course of 
long centuries are not the less wonderful. Nothing can equal 
the lordly splendour of the enchanted gardens where I am 
living, in a dream, near to Atlantis. You will think so, my 
dear Stephen, if you will join me here, — for the service I ask 
of your friendship for me, and which I am sure you will not 
refuse me, is to come and bring the help of your professional 
experience to him whom my advent has rendered unconscious. 
Adieu. Kermadec will give you ample details. Give my love 
to my mother and Hdl^ne, and I shall expect you. 

“ Rene.” 

“ He expects me, does he ? That is easy to say,'’ 
exclaimed the doctor, as he finished his friend’s 
letter. But how in the world does he think I am 
to get to his invalid’s bedside ? ” 

“ In the same way that we did, sir, by the Titajiia, 
to be sure ! ” 

“ Is she here, then } ” 

“Yes, sir, that is to say, I have moored her just 
outside the harbour mouth in a little cove I know 
very well, that of Porzleogan, near Cape St. Mat- 
thew. A boat to be proud of, and no mistake ! 
But, look you, my officer desires that no one shall 


Kermadec s Mission, 


139 


know it is there. I am not to tell to the gossips 
what he has . seen down there, but he has sent me 
with news of himself to his mother and his cousin, 
who are ladies of the right sort, and no mis- 
take.’’ 

And do you think I am going to set out on such 
a mad errand ? ” 

“ That is your affair, sir, your affair, not mine. 
My officer told me to come, and I have come. I 
can only say he is looking out for you, and the 
sooner we can leave, the better. He is so afraid of 
not seeing you directly you get near, that he has 
fixed up a bell at the entrance of the lock.” 

“ What, a bell ? ” 

‘‘Just that; an electric bell that rings a peal 
loud enough to wake the dead. I tell you, we had 
something to do, both of us, to get it fixed. But 
now, it is very convenient. When you arrive at the 
water-gate, you will find an ivory button under your 
nose. You have only to touch it with the end of 
the india-rubber arm, and — whirr-rr-rr ! the peal of 
bells is set agoing and the sluice opens in front of 
you. How ’s that for a swagger invention ? Ha, 
ha ! he is no fool, my master ! ” 

“ What rot ; the whole thing is absurd, unheard- 
of,” exclaimed the doctor, in great agitation. “What 
can Rene be thinking of ? As if I had the time tp 
go on such a wild goose chase ! ” 


140 


The Crystal City, 


The sailor rightly considering that these remarks 
were not addressed to him, said nothing in reply. 

“Well,” said the doctor, after thinking for a 
minute or two, “ let us go, at any rate, and relieve 
Madame Caoudal’s anxiety about him whom she 
thought never to hear of again. After that, we will 
see. But of all the crack-brained fellows I ever 
came across, Ren^ is, unquestionably, the cham- 
pion.” 

And, with very mixed feelings, he sought an inter- 
view with Madame Caoudal. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


DOCTOR Patrice’s reflections. 

After he had recovered from the first feeling of 
astonishment and repugnance, and the objections 
that he had instinctively made to Rene’s proposal, 
Patrice came by degrees to look with more favour- 
able eyes on the submarine expedition, which at 
first seemed to him so extravagant. There was 
no doubt, at all events, of the authenticity of 
Kermadec’s story. A few months ago, when he 
found Rend on his hospital bed, his professional 
examination of him forbade his admitting for a 
moment the hypothesis of insanity ; and now, Ker- 
madec’s loyalty could not be questioned. Besides, 
this second aspect of the surprising drama was much 
more easy to believe in, once the first was accepted ; 
indeed, the worthy Kermadec appeared to be very 
much at his ease among the marvels he spoke of, — 
these frantic divings to the bottom of the sea, 
excursions in the gardens of the enchanted palace, 
and, above all, the privilege of seeing these quasi- 
divine personages, of speaking to them, of being 
admitted to a sort of intimacy with them. All 


142 


The Crystal City, 


this tended to pique the doctor’s curiosity, and rouse 
within him the spirit of adventure. 

‘*And why,” ruminated he, ‘‘when an opportu- 
nity like this offers itself to enlarge the field of my 
experience, should I let it slip through my fingers } 
I, who am pledged by my profession to augment to 
the utmost of my power the knowledge of human 
nature ; to struggle against the darkness which sur- 
rounds us on all sides, which hides from us so much 
of the cause and the effect of things; and, what 
touches us still more closely, the darkness which 
obscures the facts which are at our very feet, the 
history, the condition of a race, related to our own. 
Why should I miss the only chance I may ever 
have of raising a corner of the veil which hides 
so much that is mysterious } What is to stop me, 
after all } Fear ? Never ! ” 

Patrice could sound his own heart on this point, 
and only did himself justice when he told himself 
that he had no fear at running the risk ; he knew as 
well as Caoudal and Kermadec how to face the 
terrors of the sea. If he had had a family, or any 
near relatives, he might hesitate. But who would 
wear mourning, if Patrice disappeared from this 
world ? To be sure, Madame Caoudal would shed 
a tear for him, his friends would sincerely regret 
him ; but was it that which made him pause ? No, 
he did not conceal from himself, now that a great 


Doctor Patrice s Reflections, 143 

question had forced him to look facts in the face, 
and to make a long - deferred examination of his 
conscience, that that which held him back, and 
made him shrink from embarking on the expedition, 
was the extreme unwillingness he felt at parting 
from Helene, the involuntary protest of his whole 
being against bidding her what might prove to be 
an eternal adieu. All these late events, and the 
many emotions they had in common, had drawn 
them more than ever together; and, while never 
departing from his stoical resolve to keep silent, the 
young doctor had had many opportunities of realiz- 
ing how much it cost him to do so ; and his high- 
souled and amiable demeanour, his boundless devo- 
tion, had, unknown to himself, pleaded his cause. 
So much so, that Mademoiselle Rieux had come to 
feel giving way within her the fierce intention of 
ignoring him that she had so decidedly declared to 
Mademoiselle Luzan. That she was on the point 
of inverting the order of things, and, like Queen 
Victoria, proposing marriage to the man of her 
choice, certainly could hardly be said. For although 
she was above thinking of the miserable question 
of fortune which stood between herself and the 
man she had chosen, she had too just a sense of 
womanly dignity to so demean herself. But since 
marriages are said to be made in heaven, she could 
well leave matters to take their course. She had 


144 


The Crystal City, 


sworn, it is true, that she would never make any 
advances, but she was not obliged to be forever 
snubbing him. Nothing could prevent her manner 
being charming when with him, just as it was with 
Harancourt, Bruyeres, and many others. 

In fact, did it not imply a preference for him, that 
she was more reserved with him than with ordinary 
acquaintances, — him an old, tried friend.^ Truly, 
she had been wanting in tact, she would hasten to 
repair the mistake; and, by showing herself uni- 
formly natural, try to prove that her heart was free. 
And, fortified with this reasoning, Helene, resumed 
her old manner with him, was graciously friendly 
and simple as of old ; so that ten times a day he 
found himself on the point of throwing to the winds 
the nightmare of her fortune, and courageously 
asking the all-important question. 

This is how matters stood. It was evidently 
time for him to put on the drag. The sooner the 
better, and Rene’s invitation came just in time to 
prevent him from committing himself. He would 
start at once, whatever, it cost him. He had always 
been very practical, and for him to decide upon a 
thing was to do it ; so he told Kermadec briefly that 
he was ready to embark with him. The sailor 
received the announcement with apparent surprise, 
and the doctor, having dismissed him for a few 
hours, hastened to Madame Caoudal’s. 


Doctor Patrice s Reflections, 145 

He made use of all the tact and discretion that 
the most affectionate delicacy could suggest, to miti- 
gate the shock the happy mother was likely to feel 
at the astonishing news he had to communicate. No 
words could do justice to the joy, admiration, and 
ecstacy she manifested on hearing of Rene’s extra- 
ordinary exploits, in reading over and over again his 
handwriting, in assuring herself that he was alive 
and that she would see him again. In the tempest 
of joyful emotion which succeeded her desolate grief, 
all her old hostility to the mysterious world that had 
attracted her child was swept away as if by enchant- 
ment. All her antipathy to the majestic old man 
and his daughter gave place to the most sincere 
interest, and the liveliest gratitude. They had shown 
hospitality to her son, and had kept him alive ; him, 
whom she had never thought to see again. Evi- 
dently she had not done them justice ; she had given 
way to prejudice, had been a slave to that narrow- 
mindedness which makes us suspicious of everything 
that lies outside the beaten track. Yes, yes, they 
must take care of this venerable old man and do 
their best to preserve his life for the sake of his 
daughter ! Ah, did she not know, only too well, 
what it was to lose the support and protection of 
one’s dear ones ! And how generous it was of 
Stephen to offer to go at once, with as little fuss 
as if he were called from Lorient to Brest ! There 


146 


The Crystal City, 


was no one in the world like him, his devotion was 
beyond all praise. But she knew him before to-day. 
Was he not her child, just as much as Rene and 
HeRne 

And so the happy woman’s tongue ran on. She 
looked ten years younger already. She seemed 
transfigured, and more than once, while she was 
pouring her heart out. Doctor Patrice and Made- 
moiselle Rieux exchanged meaning glances. 

“And you, my sweet child,” she said, suddenly, 
smoothing Hdene’s hair caressingly, as she sat on a 
stool, leaning her head on her aunt’s knee, “you 
seem very silent. Do you think, you sly little thing, 
that I have not seen how you have always taken the 
part of your harebrained cousin } Ah, you can boast 
openly now of our Rene’s fidelity and tenacity ; and 
it is not I who will contradict you ! And our dear 
doctor, — have you not a word of gratitude, of admi- 
ration, for his courage t Think of it ! Going to shut 
himself up, though he is not a sailor, in that fragile 
torpedo-boat, to plunge bravely to the bottom of the 
sea, to expose himself to unprecedented risks, and all 
to tend a fellow man and to see an old friend ! ” 

“ Do not say too much on that score, auntie,” 
interrupted Helene, raising her head with a mis- 
chievous look in her bright eyes. “ My modesty 
forbids me to listen to praises of merit I wish to 
share.” 


Doctor Patrice s Reflections. 147 

“What do you say?” cried Madame Caoudal, 
while the doctor waited in silence for what might 
come next. 

“ Simply this. I should like, with your permis- 
sion, to trust myself to the torpedo-boat, descend to 
the bottom of the gulf, see the wonderful palace, 
embrace dear Rene, and, if she will accept my 
help, join the charming Undine in obeying the 
orders of the doctor and restoring the old man to 
health.” 

“ You are dreaming, or joking. You cannot mean 
what you say ! ” cried Madame Caoudal, utterly con- 
founded. 

“ Not mean what I say ! ” cried Hdene, whose 
charming face took on an expression of wilful en- 
ergy. “ My dear aunt, from the bottom of my heart 
I beg your leave to join Doctor Patrice in finding 
Rene and bringing him news of those he loves.” 

“ Impossible, impossible, my child,” said Madame 
Caoudal, much agitated at the sudden conviction that 
Helene was indeed not joking. 

“ Why impossible, dear aunt ? ” 

“ My dear, such a thing has never been done.” 

“ Everything needs a beginning. Aunt Alice.” 

“ I never will allow you to go to the bottom of the 
sea, and run such fearful risks ! ” 

“ Did not Rene go, and did he not come back safe 
and sound ? ” 


148 The Crystal City, 

“ Oh, he ! ” said the mother, with a proud look in 
her eyes. 

“ And Kermadec } ” 

“ He is a sailor.” 

“And the doctor,” added Helene, whose fun never 
lay dormant long ; “ you consent, then, to let him 
expose himself to perils too terrible for me .^” 

“ Oh, you little tease ! ” cried Madame Caoudal, 
discomfited, while Patrice protested, smiling : 

“That is quite a different thing, mademoiselle.” 

“ Prove it ! I maintain, on the contrary, that for 
you, for me, for all, in short, who will be simply pas- 
sengers on board the Titania^ the risks are the same. 
Take me, or take a Hercules with you as companion. 
If he and I are equally ignorant in the art of manag- 
ing the torpedo-boat, we shall be equally useless, and, 
in case of an accident, his strength and my weak- 
ness will be found to be two quantities, not equal, 
but equivalent.” 

“ That is all very well, but it is mere cavilling, or 
I am much mistaken,” said Madame Caoudal, much 
displeased. “ But tell me, mademoiselle, do you 
think it would be a proper thing for you to travel 
alone, without a chaperone } ” 

“Without a chaperone, but not without protec- 
tion,” replied Helene, with a frank look that went 
straight to the doctor’s heart. “And I ask you who 
could serve me as chaperone in this adventure ? Old 


Doctor Patrice s Reflections, 149 

nurse, or your maid, or any other dignitary of your 
household ? I think they would cut but a poor fig- 
ure ; and it would be better for me to go as a 
body-guard to the doctor, who, by the way, has said 
nothing by way of suggestion, and who appears to 
receive without enthusiasm the idea of having me as 
travelling companion.” 

The doctor was thrown into considerable perplex- 
ity by this unexpected thrust, and could n’t help 
laughing inwardly at the recollection that it was 
on purpose to get away from Hdene that he had 
hastened his decision. He did not, however, defend 
himself from the accusation that she had launched 
at him. 

‘‘You can hardly be aware,” said he, calmly, “how 
far I should be from thinking of taking you, having 
come for the express purpose of telling you my 
plans.” 

Helene was far too penetrating not to divine, at 
least partly, what was hidden in this apparent inci- 
vility. “ I will believe all you could wish on that 
score,” said she, with equal calmness ; “ but since 
you have anticipated my request, I ask you, will you 
take me .? ” 

“ With great pleasure, if Madame Caoudal wishes 
it.” 

“ My dear children, what are you thinking of .^ ” 
put in the elder lady. “Do you believe, in good 


The Crystal City, 


150 

faith, that I could consent to such folly? I will 
never let Helene go out of my care, never, — except 
in the case of some one stronger than I taking her 
away,” she added, smiling. Then, resuming a seri- 
ous, not to say severe, tone : 

“ Doctor, I am surprised that you should entertain 
for one moment anything so unreasonable ! ” 

“ He certainly has not given much encouragement 
in it, I must do him justice in that,” said Helene, 
while Patrice scolded himself for the disappointment 
he felt, forcing himself, as usual, to reveal nothing of 
his feelings. 

‘‘Oh, dear auntie, good auntie,” continued Helene, 
now in tears, and burying her face in her hands, 
“ please do not speak so decidedly ! My heart will 
break if you refuse me.” 

“ Helene, I hardly know you,” said Madame 
Caoudal, reproachfully. “You, who have always 
been my strength and support ; one would think 
you were a spoilt child, crying for the moon ! It 
is only an hour since you learned of the existence of 
this wonderful place, and here you are in despair 
because the entrance to it is refused you ! I repeat, 
I do not recognize my sensible, reasonable Helene !” 

“Ah, my dear aunt,” burst forth Helene, “it is 
not the dream of an hour, it is the dream of my 
whole life, that I thought I had realized ! I am a 
born sailor, you know that weH ! I am always hear- 


Doctor Patrice s Reflections, 15 1 

ing the clamour of the waves which rocked my 
father and grandfather, and I am always homesick 
for the sea. With what regret, what bitter mortifi- 
cation, did I see Rene depart and leave me on shore ! 
Till then I had hoped that I might one day go on 
one of those beautiful, free, stirring voyages. Do 
not think that I am ungrateful to those who love me. 
Is Rene the less your son, and a good son, because 
he loves the sea Is he less perfect, — as a friend.^ 
But why should I need to plead with you, who know 
me so well.^ You know us both; and, as the daugh- 
ter of sea -going people, I have been marked with 
their seal, I am always irresistibly drawn to every- 
thing belonging to them, their dangers and their 
triumphs. I can truly say that I have lived with 
Rene in this audacious adventure of his ; he has con- 
fided to me all his anxieties, his hopes, and his 
sudden turns of fortune ; and if he had not, I verily 
believe I should have guessed them, I have so much 
identified myself with his life. Just now, when the 
doctor told us that he intended to go to him, I felt 
such an irresistible longing to follow that it seemed 
as if my wish was to be granted. Aunt Alice, dear 
auntie, do not refuse me ! ” 

My dear child,” replied Madame Caoudal, irreso- 
lute, and quite overcome, “ what can I say to you } 
— Stephen, come to my help.” 

The doctor was pacing the room, he, too, much 


152 


The Crystal City, 


moved at Helene’s pleading, and beginning to think 
that what she longed for so ardently might, after all, 
be right and feasible. 

“What can I say, madame,” said he, pausing in 
front of her, “and how can I attack the question 
unarmed } In order to help you, as you ask me, it 
is necessary to be convinced that Mademoiselle 
H dene’s project is out of the question.” 

“What! You, also.?” ejaculated Madame Caou- 
dal, dumbfounded, “this must be a conspiracy.?” 

“ Not in the least,” said the doctor. “A moment 
ago, I was as far as you from admitting the possi- 
bility of a delicate young girl, or even a man of 
doubtful courage, embarking on such a hazardous 
enterprise. I had almost come to take credit to 
myself for courage,” he said, frankly, “for an act, 
so natural, and with so little of the heroic about 
it, of setting foot on board a vessel so admirably 
equipped in every way, and allowing myself to be 
taken, without a hitch or a jar of any kind, towards 
a region that would tempt the most blase traveller. 
Everything outside the usual routine of life is apt 
to astonish us ; but Mademoiselle Helene’s absolute 
confidence and absence of hesitation has opened my 
eyes. In this torpedo-boat, constructed under the 
direction of a mind of the first order, we should be 
really safer than even here, under a roof built by an 
ignorant architect, and of whose stability we know 


Doctor Patrice's Reflections, 153 

nothing ; while of Rene’s movable house, which is 
perfection of its kind, we know everything. In 
short, madame. Mademoiselle Hdene’s argument, 
urged just now partly in joke, has a good deal in it. 
Be very sure of one thing, that since Rene has 
asked me to go to him in his boat, he has satisfied 
himself, at the risk of his life, that there will be no 
danger for other people.” 

Oh, doctor ! ” cried Helene, delighted, ‘‘how true 
all that is! You are good I How much I thank 
you ! ” 

“ I see the force of what you say,” said Madame 
Caoudal, “ but still there remains the question of the 
propriety of the thing — of etiquette, if you will. 
Hdene cannot go alone with you.” 

“Oh, Aunt Alice!” cried Helene, “that tiresome 
etiquette! What English or American girl would 
hesitate to do it } and small blame to her, either.” 

“ The English and Americans have their manners 
and we have ours,” said Madame Caoudal. “ Far be 
it from me to blame any young girls who conform 
straightforwardly, and with their parents’ consent, to 
the established customs of their own countries. But 
it never does for any one, least of all a woman, to go 
against the established code of society. I would not 
take the responsibility of it, in any case, my dear 
little woman, though it cost me the pain of saying 
‘ No ’ to you.” 


154 


The Crystal City, 


Helene sat thoughtful for a minute. “ Why 
shouldn’t you come with us.^” she said, suddenly. 

I 'i What nonsense ! ” 

“Why not.^” said Helene, simply. “Don’t you 
want to go? ” 

“ Want to go, little puss ! You seem to think it 
very easy for one to do what one wants, in this 
world.” 

“ One can, if one puts one’s will to it,” said 
Helene, with a quick movement of her pretty head, 
“ and if what one wants is good and legitimate in 
itself. Now, see, auntie, dear, you are convinced 
that the expedition has no serious danger attached to 
it, since, but for the sake of appearances, you would 
let me undertake it ; and, what you do not fear for 
me, you would be a thousand times less likely to 
fear for yourself. And think of it, dearest, the deci- 
sion once arrived at, the first step taken, all would 
be perfectly easy, and, in five or six days, or so, you 
would see your Ren4 and clasp him in your arms.” 

“ Ah, my child, what are you saying to me. It 
is too beautiful,” cried the mother, trembling. 
“ Stephen, is it possible, or are we all losing our 
senses ? ” 

“ No, dear lady. It is only that we have to get 
accustomed to any idea, the novelty of which has 
confounded us. Mademoiselle HeRne is quite right. 
She has hit upon the right thing.” 


Doctor Patrice s Reflections, 155 

“ The idea of setting out on such an adventure at 
my age ! ” 

“Your age!” said Helene, indignantly. “Your 
age is nothing, unless it be that of the most charm- 
ing woman in France.” 

“Very good,” said Madame Caoudal, laughing. 
“ The truth is I am perfectly strong ; and I feel sure 
you would have no difficulty on my account ; but 
still — ” 

“ Let us go and have a look at the Titania^ will 
you } ” interrupted the doctor ; “ perhaps the exami- 
nation of it would decide you.” 

“That is a good idea,” cried the lady, who, having 
once entertained the idea of seeing her son in a few 
days, was now easy to convince. 

They set out in high spirits, and drove to the 
little creek where the boat was moored. Its interior 
was passed in review. As has been said, it was 
most comfortable, and capable of accommodating six 
people. Their adrniration of this chef-d'ceiivre which 
did so much honour to Rene’s inventive genius was 
unstinted. Madame Caoudal, who was now keener 
than any one to get matters settled, declared that 
there would be nothing absurd in taking a voyage in 
such a vessel. In a few hours, the light luggage of 
the travellers was packed, and put on board. They 
all agreed that there would be nothing gained by 
telling any one the secret of the expedition. 


The Crystal City. 


156 

Kermadec, never surprised at anything, saw the 
ladies arrive with perfect serenity. As soon as 
they had installed themselves, the doctor gave the 
signal to start, and the Titania was headed for the 
Azores. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


CHARICLES AND RENE. 

Meanwhile, the venerable Charicles was still 
lying motionless on his couch in the crystal mansion, 
the consequence of the sudden attack which had 
prostrated him on Rene’s arrival. The indefatig- 
able young people by his side eagerly endeavoured 
by the most affectionate care to restore him to 
health, — Atlantis, for the love she bore him, and 
Rene, it must be confessed, on her account. And, 
yet, it was not solely for her sake, after all ; this 
grand old man, so majestic, so mysterious, interested 
him. He had wished to sound the secret of his 
existence, to see the mute lips unseal themselves and 
reveal to him the strange recollections that must be 
hidden by the massive brow and the commanding 
gray eyes of which he had sometimes a momentary 
glimpse. And then, besides the natural curiosity of 
any one who might have found himself in the posi- 
tion of the young officer, a real sympathy for the 
invalid awoke in him. 

‘‘After all,” thought Rene, “one should put 
oneself in the old man’s place, and if he elected 


The Crystal City. 


158 

to plant his dwelling at the bottom of the sea, it 
must have been because he did not wish to be 
intruded upon. And here I am, dropped from the 
sky into his retreat ; I have established myself here, 
making myself as much at home as if I were in my 
own house, and taking the care of him upon myself. 
All that is enough to exasperate him, I must confess. 
I must seem to him like a meddlesome intruder, to 
whom he would like to show the door. And yet, 
on the other hand, how could I leave this young 
girl in the sole charge of him ? Would she wish 
it ? I doubt it ; she must prefer to have some one 
to help her in such trying circumstances. Well, I 
believe I am right in running the risk, and I shall 
stay. He may turn me out when he recovers — if 
he dares ! ” 

While Rene reasoned thus, still unremitting in his 
attentions, Charicles hardly took his eyes off him. 
This penetrating, severe, scrutinizing look remained 
fixed on the frank and open face of the young man, 
seeming, apparently, to mark its most fleeting ex- 
pression. For five days and nights he studied thus 
the face of his improvised ^sculapius, and certainly, 
if Rene had not had a very clear conscience, he 
must have been tired of this persistent observation. 
But, thanks to his happy disposition and the perfect 
purity of his motives, he showed no impatience, and 
continued to show him such chivalrous devotion 


Charicles and Rene, 159 

that, at last, the old man’s choler seemed somewhat 
appeased. 

One evening, when Rene and Atlantis had been 
for some time endeavouring to prepare a lotion by 
the help of which they might ■ bring back animation 
to his rigid limbs, and Rene had been rubbing him 
for an hour, he suddenly had the unexpected pleas- 
ure and satisfaction of seeing a softened light in his 
patient’s eyes. He looked towards Atlantis, and, 
opening his lips with difficulty, said painfully, but 
distinctly, in his archaic Greek : 

This stranger cares for me like a son.” 

Ren^ coloured with pleasure. 

Bravo!” cried he. ‘^You can speak. You are 
feeling stronger. Now we shall have you well in no 
time. Mademoiselle Atlantis, I congratulate you 
upon the result of your good nursing. Your father 
will be on his feet again in a few hours, on the faith 
of Rene Caoudal.” 

At the sound of her father’s voice, Atlantis rose to 
her feet, blushing with happiness. She threw herself 
into his arms, uttering a torrent of sweet and harmo- 
nious exclamations. Ren6 decided that Greek was 
certainly the most beautiful language in the world. 

When the first flutter of agitation had subsided, 
Charicles’s wrinkled brow became smooth ; so sweet 
it is to feel oneself loved, even if one be a venerable 
Triton. He gave them to understand that for sev- 


i6o The Crystal City, 

eral days he had felt the power of speech coming 
back, but he had waited to be quite sure, for fear of 
raising false hopes. And now, having thoroughly 
studied Rene during the long speechless hours, he 
was convinced that he had to do with a worthy 
youth, whose heart was frank and pure, and, in order 
to prove the confidence he felt in him, he would tell 
him of a powerful philtre, which would accelerate 
the cure. 

Atlantis flew to stir the flame under a gold tripod 
near by, and Rene measured, mixed, and shook a 
compound of a bitter taste and indescribable odour, 
which the old man swallowed at one draught, mur- 
muring an invocation in a language which sounded 
to Rene even more archaic than that which he had 
used just before in speaking to them. This done, 
the old man sank back upon the gold - embroidered 
cushion, and remained perfectly rigid for an hour, 
his long white robes looking more like a winding- 
sheet than anything else. At the end of that time, 
he signified by an imperious gesture to Rene, who 
was waiting beside him, that he wished for another 
dose. 

During the night, which Rene and Atlantis spent 
at his side, he continually asked for his philtre, for 
which Rene was very sorry, as he found that the 
flavour of it was more and more nauseous. And 
alas ! their hopes of a speedy recovery were disap- 


Charicles and Rene. i6i 

pointed. Atlantis understood nothing about it. At 
first, when the old man expressed a wish to take it, 
she clapped her hands with joy. 

“The potion of the ancients!” she cried, with 
her clear voice. “ That will cure you, dear father ; 
it will bring back your strength, and renew in you 
the fire of youth ! ” 

Convinced that in a few hours he would be quite 
restored, she was the more cast down at seeing him 
so inert, his eyebrows so contracted, and the dis- 
tressed look in his eyes, while his panting breathing 
hardly stirred the silky waves of his white beard. 

“He is no better,” said the poor, desolate Undine, 
raising her clear blue eyes towards Rene. 

“ I must have made some mistake ,in mixing the 
medicine,” replied Rene, baffled; “or perhaps the 
ingredients were stale, and had lost their virtue ; or 
perhaps they never were of any use for such a case.” 

Atlantis shook her head. 

“ Charicles chose well the elements for his potion ; 
he is learned in this art, as in all others. But, if the 
gods do not wish to cure him, no philtre will have 
any power over the evil. May the immortals have 
pity on me, his unhappy child, if I am to see him 
expire, without being able to help him ! ” 

And tears, like diamonds, shone in her gray-blue 
eyes, while their expression of filial piety only 
added to her loveliness in Rene eyes. 


i 62 


The Crystal City, 


“Dear daughter,” murmured the old man, “do 
not grieve, child of my heart. If the gods will it, I 
shall regain my health, and, in any case, I thank 
them for having brought hither this young stranger, 
worthy, by his outward as well as his mental gifts, to 
be thy brother. See how afflicted he is ; he feels 
thy grief, and would give me his strength if he 
could. All honour to him who knows how to 
respect old age ! Perhaps he has a father, and 
thinks he recognizes one in me. Ask him, my 
daughter ; learn from him under what heaven he first 
saw the light, by what chance he penetrated our 
dwelling. I will gladly listen, and without fatigue, 
and while opening my understanding to new ideas, 
I will await patiently the accomplishment of my 
destiny.” 

Atlantis and Rene set to work to arrange the old 
man’s couch more comfortably, raising his head and 
moistening his lips and brow with a fragrant balm 
from a phial of exquisite shape. Atlantis placed her- 
self near to him with one hand resting on his, and 
the other supporting her chin, her elbow on her 
knee, and, fixing her eyes on Rene : 

“ Speak, stranger,” said she ; “explain to us whom 
thou art, whence thou comest, and of what race thou 
art, and tell us thy history. Charicles and his 
daughter are listening to thee. And do not forget 
that they who come from afar have need to guard 


Charicles a 7 id Rene. 163 

their lips, so that they utter no words but those of 
truth. May the strictest sincerity govern you ! We, 
poor recluses, isolated from the world, will listen to 
thee with respect, and may we draw from thy dis- 
course the teaching and light we so much need! " 
The liveliest approval of these sage words of his 
daughter was depicted in Charicles’s face, as Rene, 
with a bow and a smile, began his account of 
himself : 

You see in me," began the young officer, some- 
what abashed at being obliged to bring his personality 
so much to the front, the son of a race doubtless 
unknown to you, for I presume, from all I see around 
me, that centuries have passed since the people of 
your nation have had the least intercourse with the 
outside world, — with ours, for instance The old 
man made a sign of assent. But," continued Rene, 
“ have you never heard of a Greek colony, founded 
by your ancestors, called by the name of Phoenicia.^" 
“I know Phoenicia," said Charicles; “dost thou 
come from that famous town, young man } Art thou 
our fellow countryman, a sort of distant cousin ? " 

“ Fellow countryman ? that would be going a long 
way back," replied Rene, smiling ; “ but at least we 
have, no doubt, not altogether uncommon origin. It 
is certain that you, as we, belonged to the great 
family which learned men call Indo-European. The 
various nations springing from this source come from 


164 


The Crystal City, 


a people who originally inhabited the elevated plateau 
of central Asia. You do not need to be told by me 
that at a far distant period, long before the historic 
ages, this race emigrated and spread itself over a 
vast region of Asia and Europe. In Asia they were 
the parents of the Hindoos, who spoke Sanscrit ; the 
Medes and Persians, who spoke Zend, were the other 
branch of the stock. In Europe, we find four princi- 
pal races : the Germans, the Pelasgi, the Slavs, and 
the Celts. You are not ignorant of the fact that in 
ancient times the country which we call Greece, after 
the manner of the Romans, and which you doubtless 
know by the name of Hellas (from the name of the 
founder Hellen), was called at that time Pelasgia. 
Attica, and still more Arcadia, boasted of the nobil- 
ity of their origin, and prided themselves on being 
branches of the only Pelasgic stock. It was the 
Pelasgi who spread themselves in the greatest num- 
bers over Italy, the southern part of which country, 
from the number and importance of your colonies 
in it, being known for a long time by the name of 
Greater Greece. The Pelasgic language helped, con- 
sequently, to form the root of the Latin language, 
as did also that of the Greeks. I enlarge thus upon 
these details in order to show you that we have, in- 
deed, a common origin, and that we are all branches 
of the same trunk, but with different degrees of 
culture.” 



Rene telling his Story 




Char ides and Rene. 165 

“ I listen to thee with interest, stranger,” said 
Charicles; “wisdom pours from thy youthful lips. 
But, I beseech thee, tell me of the Phoenician city 
of which thou didst but now pronounce the name.” 

“You know the origin of Phoenicia, founded by 
your illustrious compatriots, the Phoenicians of 
Ionia, two thousand one hundred years ago. Your 
merchants, speeding their frail barks along the 
Mediterranean, quickly recognized how much there 
was to be gained on our southern coasts. And yet, 
what dangers they ran ! What snares were set 
for them ! The Phoenician colony existed only by 
a miracle. On land, they were surrounded by 
powerful Gallic and Ligurian tribes, who fought for 
every inch of ground which they tried to gain. By 
sea, they encountered enormous Carthaginian or 
Etruscan fleets, which pitilessly massacred every 
stranger engaged in commerce with Sardinia. But 
your immortals protected them, doubtless, for every- 
thing favoured the Marsellais (the name by which at 
the present time the Phoenicians are known) without 
their having to draw the sword. The Syracusans 
destroyed Etruscan navigation, and Rome finished 
by absorbing all the commercial States. Carthage, 
Etruria, and Sicily succumbed. The Phoenicians 
would gladly have taken the place of Carthage, for 
which they seemed fitted by their economic and 
mercantile genius ; but, not daring to aspire so 


i66 


The Crystal City, 


high, they contented themselves with civilizing the 
barbarians (as they called my ancestors) in their im- 
mediate neighbourhood, and with founding numerous 
settlements along the Mediterranean coast from the 
Maritime Alps to Cape St. Martin, that is to say, 
as far as the first Carthaginian colonies. 

“ If you ask me now what the people were like 
who inhabited the region to the north of the Phoeni- 
cian colony, the people from whom I am descended, 
I will describe them to you by the mouth of an 
ancient historian. * <The character of the Gallic 
race, according to the philosopher, Posidonius, is 
irritable and warlike, always ready to strike, but 
withal simple and without malignity ; if they are 
irritated, they attack a foe straight in the face, 
without thinking of anything else. But one can 
always succeed with them by strategy ; one can at 
any time provoke them to combat, however unim- 
portant the motives leading up to it may be ; 
they are always ready, even without any weapons, 
save those of strength and audacity. Noth with- 
standing, they are easily induced to learn useful 
things; they are susceptible of culture and literary 
instruction. Strong in their powerful physique and 
in their numbers, they quickly assemble in bands ; 
and, simple and spontaneous as they are, willingly 
take in hand the cause of the oppressed./ That is 


* Strabo. 


Charicles and Rene, 167 

one of the first judgments passed upon my race by 
philosophy.” 

‘^A fine trait, the last,” said Charicles, nodding 
his venerable head, “ taking in hand the cause of 
the oppressed. That is a characteristic worthy of 
admiration.” 

“ And one that has been true all through my coun- 
try’s glorious history,” said Rene, with a proud light 
in his eyes. ‘‘Yes, I can truly say that no nation 
has played the part of leader as mine has done. 
Always in the van of light and liberty, France 
has been the enlightener of the world, and there 
is not a generous idea, but has found an echo among 
her people. She has replaced Greece in the mission 
of civilization.” 

“ Replaced ! ” quickly interrupted Charicles. 
“ Has Hellas then disappeared } ” 

“From a political point of view, yes. That can- 
not be denied. Her greatness, which radiated over 
ancient civilization, and whose influence governs us 
to this day, became extinct under the domination of 
Rome, about a hundred and forty -five years before 
our era. But what incomparable brilliancy was shown 
by the people of that small territory! Science, the 
arts, war, — the Greeks excelled in all. To this day, 
we are lost in admiration at the contemplation of 
what was wrought by their hand, their pen, and 
their powerful and cultivated intellect. You cannot 


The Crystal City, 


1 68 

have heard, Charicles, of the marvellous sons your 
country has produced. Perhaps you do not even 
know the name of Phidias, or of Euripides, of 
Socrates, Aristotle, or Plato.? Well, we moderns 
of the civilized world base our principal studies 
upon their works. He who ignores them is con- 
sidered to be wanting in culture, a sort of Helot. 
You find nowhere else more beautiful creations of 
art than those of Greece. They are copied, admired, 
venerated. They are equalled sometimes, but never 
surpassed, for they have attained to perfection of 
every kind.” 

“Thy words are very precious, young man, and 
cheer me like generous wine,” exclaimed Charicles, 
with energy. “And see how moved Atlantis is 
also ; she drinks in thy discourse, and feels proud of 
her race.” 

“Yes,” said Atlantis, “it is sweet to me to hear 
the praises of my nation, stranger, although it is 
cruel to learn that she has fallen. We know nothing 
of her ancient glory, but the poems of the great 
Homer. Tell me, do people still read them .? Hast 
thou ever read them, traced on silky papyrus ; dost 
thou know the, king of men, Agamemnon; and 
Helen, more beautiful than Aphrodite, and the 
traitor, Paris .? ” 

“And Ajax, and Hector, and Ulysses, and old 
Nestor! Have I not dug out their roots on the 


Charicles and Rene, 


169 


school forms ! ” cried Rene, laughing. “ Yes, I know 
them, less than I ought to, no doubt, but it is in 
studying the divine Homer that the youth of my 
nation spend the greater part of their school days. 
We have learned men who examine into his writings 
all their life long, and there must be a whole library 
of books written on his poem.” 

Doubtless, you have none of them, you barba- 
rians,” said Atlantis, simply. 

We have some, certainly,” said Rene, somewhat 
piqued, ‘‘and if you will accept me as French master, 
I will make them known to you, fair Atlantis. But 
I confess we have no poet to equal Sophocles or 
Euripides, neither has sculptor of ours ever surpassed 
the divine Phidias ; and yet, ours are the best in the 
world.” 

“ And how is it that you have reached this pre- 
eminence } ” continued Atlantis with interest. “ Are 
you our direct inheritors } Is it through the Phoeni- 
cians that you have learnt our secrets ? ” 

“ It would take rather long to explain to you,” 
said Rene. “ However, I will try.” And, adapting 
himself to the comprehension of his auditor, the 
young officer called to his aid all his acquaintance 
with ethnological, scientific, artistic, and historical 
lore, and, after having described to them the Gallic, 
Frank, and Breton characteristics, he took up the 
chief threads of the world’s history, from the time 


170 


The Crystal City. 


when they seemed to have lost them, which ap- 
peared to date from about the time of the founda- 
tion of Phoenicia, that is to say, about six hundred 
years before our era. 

It was a lengthy task ; but, curious and attentive, 
the two solitary beings were unwilling to lose a 
single thread in the weaving of events ; and if their 
improvised teacher had spoken all night long, he 
would have been listened to with the same interest. 
Fatigued, at last, with his long lecture, Rene, who 
had conducted them as far as the state of Europe in 
189 — , paused out of breath, and a long, thoughtful 
silence reigned among them. 

Charicles was the first to break it. All that thou 
hast taught me has astonished me much, young 
stranger,” said he at length. ‘‘What marvels, what 
•events, what vicissitudes ! O my country, thou that 
wert of small extent in the world, and yet so great 
by the majesty of thy genius, blessed be thou ! I 
must die without ever having pressed my lips to thy 
sacred soil ; but before descending to Hades, I bless 
the gods for having brought this stranger, who has 
revealed to me thy greatness and thy glory. I should 
like, stranger, to give thee the history of my race, to 
make thee understand how it comes about that we 
are here, but I am overcome with fatigue. My limbs 
are heavy, and my tongue inert and useless. Let 
Atlantis take my place and instruct thee ; her har- 


Charicles and Rene, 171 

monious voice will charm thee, while she will lull to 
rest my last hours in this world. Speak, dear child, 
and we will listen, reverencing in thee the triple 
majesty of beauty, innocence and knowledge ! For- 
get nothing that can instruct this young man, and, 
while giving him the story after thine own manner, 
let the polished mirror of strict truth preside over the 
threshold of thy lips. Speak, and may Pallas dictate 
thy words.” 

Atlantis bowed her head modestly to her father 
then, without waiting to be asked a second time, “ I 
obey thee, noble Charicles,” said she. “And thou, 
stranger, be indulgent, if my lips, still young and in- 
experienced, err sometimes in my story. Charicles 
has taught me all I know. If my words please and 
interest thee, to him be all the honour.” 


CHAPTER XV. 


THE STORY OF ATLANTIS. 

“What I am about to relate to thee, stranger, 
and to thee, father, is a very ancient tradition. It 
reaches back among the years as far as two or three 
thousand lustra. I give it to thee as I have received 
it from Charicles’s venerable lips, who himself learnt 
it from those of his noble father, Antigoras. In his 
turn he received it from his father, and so on, back 
through the night of ages. Often, since the time 
when my childish head hardly reached his knee, he 
guided my finger, while I spelt on the papyrus the 
ancient traditions of our ancestors. 

“At first, our fathers lived on earth, even as 
yours ; and the bottom of the sea, unknown to hu- 
man eyes, was inhabited only by the monsters of the 
deep, Tritons and sea-nymphs. Our country was 
then a vast continent extending beyond the Pillars 
of Hercules, in the direction of newly discovered 
territory, named as thou hast told us, America. It 
was one of those colonies of which thou hast 
spoken, young man. But how flourishing ! To 
what a degree of power you must have attained. 



The History of Atlantide 










The Story of Atlantis, 


173 


oh, my ancestors, in the arts of peace and war ! 
Thou speakest of Phidias, of Scopas, of Praxiteles. 
I do not know what they did. But, before seeing the 
chef s-T oeuvre shaped by their chisels, I should hardly 
bring myself to confess that they could do better 
than our masters, whose memories we piously retain, 
whose masterpieces have been copied by our decora- 
tive painters. 

“ Imbued with the pure traditions of Egyptian art, 
— for the learned and skilful among our ancestors, 
who came from the ancient land of Isis, had taken 
care to form their taste and guide their hand, — they 
created fresh wonders every day. In their free 
cities magnificent temples were reared and conse- 
crated to the gods. 

“ Life flowed on serene and majestic. This lib- 
erty of which thou hast spoken, as a blessing worth 
shedding rivers of blood to secure, — the only good 
worth living for, as my father has taught me from 
my cradle, — we possessed without fighting for. The 
most humble among us had rights observed by all, 
and he respected those of the greatest of his nation. 
The earth, young and fruitful, produced in abundance 
all the food required by her happy children. The 
air was pure, bright, and balmy. Oh, Charicles, we 
have often envied these happy mortals the light of 
Phoebus, the great blue heaven above their head, 
shady forests, snow-capped mountains hiding their 


174 


The Crystal City. 


heads among the clouds ! Neither thou nor I could 
know the delight of breathing the vivifying air of 
our native land. And yet, can we complain ? What 
a marvel is our existence here ! What a proof of 
the prodigious genius of our ancestors ! Thou art a 
witness to it, stranger. 

“Toward the middle of the twentieth Olympiad, 
during the rule of Aclepios, the happiness of the peo- 
ple of Atlantide was suddenly troubled by a terrible 
catastrophe. One morning Phoebus appeared, his 
face troubled, surrounded by lightning clouds. Then 
a ruddy cloud covered him entirely ; an angry wind 
arose, and thunder was heard in the blackened sky. 
Every one with suppliant hands raised to heaven 
invoked the gods ; but the sea waves, agitated with 
a convulsive movement, surged up in the port, as if 
unknown monsters of the deep were trying to escape 
from them. Portentous sounds were heard from a 
neighbouring mountain. For several days — a fright- 
ful phenomenon — its summit opened, and vomited 
volumes of black, tainted smoke. Suddenly, a sheaf 
of flame shot forth and rose to the clouds, which 
dissolved in torrents of rain. Down the sides of the 
mountain rushed torrents of red-hot lava, which 
burnt and destroyed the houses nestling on its ver- 
dant slopes. At the same time horrible crashing 
noises were heard underground, under the feet of 
the horrified inhabitants who were taking flight. 


The Story of Atlantis. 


175 


The earth opened and melted away, carrying with 
it thousands of people. On all sides the ground was 
torn asunder, uprooted trees strewed the ground, 
temples and dwellings fell to pieces with a crash, — 
and the heavens rained flames which burned the 
monuments which the cataclysm had spared. Huge 
sea waves submerged the coast, and absorbed and 
drowned all who sought to escape in that direction ! 

The scourge lasted for many days. At last the 
elements calmed their rage ; and, when the terrified 
people reckoned up their disasters, they perceived 
that the isthmus which had united Atlantide to the 
African continent no longer existed. A wide strait, 
a sea still convulsed with surging waves, replaced it, 
and what had been an enormous peninsula was from 
that time forward a sea-girt isle. As the days wore 
on those thus cut off were mourned by their friends 
left behind. Those who had met' their death in the 
cataclysm, and whose disfigured bodies strewed the 
ground, were piously collected together. An im- 
mense funeral pile was erected on the newly formed 
seashore, and, amidst the lamentations of an entire 
people, their remains were consumed. Every family 
had lost a member, and some had altogether disap- 
peared. In the place of sublime monuments, the 
work of our ancestors, heaps of ruins, blackened by 
the flames, were seen on all sides. 

“ But the hearts of the Atlantes were too noble 


176 


The Crystal City, 


to give way to discouragement. Each one, man, 
woman, and child, worked to the full measure of his 
strength, and, within a comparatively short time, the 
cities of Atlantide recovered their ancient splen- 
dour. The inhabitants took fresh courage, their 
grief was assuaged, and oblivion, that plant which 
my father tells me flourishes naturally in the human 
heart, took root in theirs; and, in time, the awful 
cataclysm which had separated them from the rest 
of their kind, — to which some among them, consider- 
ing the near neighbourhood of barbarous African 
tribes, were soon reconciled, — in time, I say, this 
event became nothing more than a memory. 

‘‘But the anger of the gods, for some inscrutable 
reason, was aroused against the Atlantes. Though 
they had escaped the fire from heaven and that of 
the volcano, as well as the earthquake and the floods, 
another and more alarming phenomenon appeared. 
They perceived that the soil was subsiding. Slowly, 
surely, with a constant but hardly perceptible move- 
ment, our island sank. One day, the cliff, formed 
by the destruction of the isthmus, looked down from 
a height of a hundred cubits. The next day its 
appearance was less bold, and in the space of a few 
moons it could hardly be seen above the water level. 
The verdant fields near to it were lost to view in the 
caresses of the traitorous sea, and their inundated 
soil gave way, transformed into a miniature lake. 


The Story of Atlantis. 177 

under the feet of the unwary traveller. At first, 
they could not and would not believe it, but at 
length the truth was forced upon them. 

“ Our shores disappeared, little by little, beneath 
the waves. By insensible degrees the higher land 
of the interior followed. The most frightful death 
appeared inevitable. At first, as the truth dawned 
upon them, the unhappy Atlantes were filled with 
consternation. Public prayers were ordered to be 
made ; sacrifices smoked on the altars. But the 
resistless enemy continued, nevertheless, to under- 
mine, day by day, the foundation of their country. 
The seers then met in consultation. Our country 
had always been remarkable for the ingenious 
sagacity of her children. The most experienced of 
them worked for the space of two moons at their 
calculations ; they took observations and averages, 
and they arrived at the conclusion that in ten or 
twelve years, at least, the soil of Atlantide would be 
entirely under water. 

“ Certainly the situation was appalling enough, 
and the stoutest hearts might well be dismayed at 
the prospect. Such was not the case, however. As 
soon as the result of their deliberations was made 
public, two parties were formed in the country. 
One determined to leave, to emigrate en masse, to 
seek a new country whither they could transport 
their civilization. Their decision, culminating in this 


178 


The Crystal City, 


memorable exodus, was the pivot on which our his- 
tory rests. It was these colonists who rowed their 
galleys towards the sea to which the Pillars of Her- 
cules are the entrance. We have preserved among us 
a tradition that they were the founders of Phoenicia. 

“ Others, more attached to their cherished Atlantide, 
— and they were, moreover, the students, the artists, 
and the nobles of the country, — resolved to maintain 
themselves where they were, come what might, still 
struggling against the encroachment of the water. 

“ Dikes were constructed, earthworks were thrown 
up, Cyclopean barriers erected to shut out the ocean. 
Often, in my childish hours, I have contemplated, 
from a distance, these monster blocks of stone 
through the walls of the crystal prison in which I 
was born. I will show them to thee, stranger. 
Covered as they are to-day with sea-weed, which has 
woven for them a waving mantle, they are a proof, in 
their enormous size, of the gigantic labour of my 
ancestors. The encroachment of the sea was re- 
tarded, to some extent, by the formidable wall, but 
it did not arrest it. Instead of ten years, twenty or 
thirty years, perhaps, were gained. The disappear- 
ance of the doomed land was only a question of time. 

“Among the most illustrious of the learned men 
of the country shone a sage, the pure and noble 
Archytas. Permit me to sing his praises, stranger ; 
he was an ancestor of ours. Charicles and I feel in 


The Story of A tlantis. 1 79 

our veins the generous blood which beat through 
his noble heart. 

“Admired by everybody, he displayed from early 
youth a surprising taste for scientific pursuits. 
What thou hast told us about Archimedes made me 
think of what I have been taught about Archytas. 
The most difficult problems were mere play to him. 
Always deep in the study of cosmic forces, he went 
through life as if in a dream, and the most ordinary 
incident was to him a pretext for sublime discoveries 
or lofty thought. He was never spoken of but in 
terms of the greatest respect, and, in the Atlantic 
Republic, he was justly accorded the highest rank. 
He did not use for himself the fortune with which 
fate had abundantly endowed him, except by conse- 
crating colossal sums to the pursuit of his beloved 
science. Simply clothed in white linen, and using 
the floor for his couch at night, he lived on ears 
of wheat, milk, and fruit. Like the divine Pythago- 
ras, of whom thou spakest this evening, he had 
a horror of shedding the blood of innocent creatures 
for his own subsistence. We, his descendants, follow 
this example. This sage cherished an ardent love for 
his country. His genius was roused and his pride 
revolted at the idea of leaving it forever. Should 
man allow himself to be conquered by the blind 
forces of Nature } Never ! He would struggle to 
the last, and come out conqueror from this strange 


i8o The Crystal City, 

duel ! And before the astonished people Archytas 
unfolded a plan of unheard-of boldness. Strong in all 
the resources of the most refined science, armed with 
his great wealth, he had conceived the idea of an 
Atlantide which might continue to exist under the 
waves and defy their fury. This plan he realized by 
constructing, at his own expense, a bell-shaped town, 
a colossal crystal palace provided with everything 
necessary for social life, and where cultivation, in- 
dustry, heat, and light should all be artificial, all the 
product of human effort. 

“ This palace, this submarine town, thou hast seen 
with thine own eyes, stranger. Thou breathest with 
ease the oxygen produced by the science of my great 
ancestor. Thou wouldst never have supposed that 
this wonder was due to the genius of a mere mortal } 
It is so, however ; Archytas, my glorious ancestor, 
conceived and executed it quite alone. He regulated 
the minutest details of it even as he designed the 
entire plan, and the astonished people had nothing 
to do but to obey his directions. Everybody set 
himself to work. But that does not imply that the 
entire population accepted the fate of being ingulfed 
by the waves. No sooner was the project divulged, 
than an edict went forth ordering all the citizens of 
Atlantide to devote themselves to carrying out the 
plan of Archytas. No one refused, and the work 
made rapid strides. But every day some family 


0 



The Second Exodus. 








The Story of Atlantis, i8i 

declared that they would leave the country before 
it finally foundered. 

“ As soon as the most important part of the work 
was finished there was a second exodus. Admire, 
stranger, the generosity of those who failed in the 
courage necessary for plunging into the abyss. They 
did not leave till their help was no longer needed, but 
their nobleness of soul did not save them. A storm, 
which broke over them during their voyage, swallowed 
them up in the very waves they endeavoured to fly 
from. That, no doubt, explains the fact of the won- 
derful enterprise of Archytas always remaining a 
mystery to the inhabitants of the globe, as thou 
callest our planet, though I have always been taught 
to consider it a disc, and not a sphere. But, no doubt, 
I am very ignorant of many things, and I will apply 
myself with docility to thy lessons, young stranger, if 
thou wilt take pity on a child whose life has been 
spent in exceptional surroundings, and to whom the 
world outside is a mystery. 

Hardly more than twenty families were left with 
Archytas. The crystal arch had been built up on the 
highest point of the town, the citadel. From that 
point they had seen their territory decrease day by 
day. The sea slowly and insidiously gnawed at the 
coast. The cliffs had entirely disappeared, and they 
were followed by the houses and the temples, and 
the only thing to be seen at last was a sort of peak. 


i 82 


The Crystal City, 


crowned by the crystal bell. It subsided in its turn, 
and the oceanic winding-sheet enveloped all that 
remained of Atlantide. The glass cupola buried 
itself under the waste of waters, and the inmates 
saw the sea mounting slowly, slowly, through the 
transparent walls, until they could see nothing 
around them but the blue waves. Above them the 
azure dome of the heavens was visible for a little 
longer. Pale Phoebus darted his last rays through 
it, and finally, one evening, the fatal waters met over- 
head. All was over ; Atlantide had disappeared 
forever from the land of the living ! 

Archytas sustained every one by his courage and 
his example. Electricity, whose secret he had dis- 
covered, and which, as thou seest, still illumines us, 
came to replace, with its clear, pure brilliance, the 
rays of the god of day. The illuminated town still 
continued to fall gently to the bottom, where it has 
remained through the centuries, fixed like a colossal 
pearl in the cavity of an oyster shell. There she 
has defied the ravages of time, ignored by all the 
world, an unknown marvel, worthy of the admiration 
of the universe. 

“ The Atlantes became gradually habituated to 
their new mode of life. Archytas with the greatest 
ingenuity contrived to supplant by artificial cultiva- 
tion the fruits of the earth to which they had been 
accustomed. They are sadly shorn of their glory. 


The Story of Atlantis, 183 

these fertile fields, the outcome of human science, 
cultivated as they are now by an old man and a mere 
child, whose wants are few, and whose strength is 
small. But thou hast admired, and so hast thy brave 
servant; the beauty of our conservatories, and our 
strange cereals, which have hitherto been sufficient 
to nourish numerous families. Archytas transformed 
and adapted all the industries ; it was mere play to 
him to invent or improve something fresh every day. 
Thou hast admired the texture of our vestments. 
Would not one think that it was woven from the 
finest wool from the frisking lambs of which I have 
heard } It is a tissue of linen transformed by sub- 
marine cultivation to the softness and lustre of silk. 
Archytas held that the elements of all things being 
in the soil and the atmospheric air, it only needed a 
chemist to extract from them, if he chose, all the 
necessaries of life. The miracle was to fabricate 
artificial air to apply to the treatment of the soil in 
abnormal conditions. That was the miracle which 
Archytas accomplished at the outset, and of which 
our very existence is the proof. I am, as thou seest, 
the last of my race, and I can truly say that I have 
hardly ever regretted the loss of outside things. 
Thy arrival hither, stranger, has set me dreaming of 
the world outside ; and has awakened in me the 
thought that I am an exceptional being, a prisoner of 
the sea, in this crystal cage.” 


CHAPTER XVL 


THE SONG OF THE SIREN. 

Atlantis ceased speaking. With eyes fixed 
vaguely on the moving perspective of the waves, out- 
side the transparent walls of the garden, she seemed 
overpowered by the vision she had called up ; by the 
grandeur and the melancholy of these past years, — 
too heavy a burden for her young shoulders, and 
which, poor solitary waif, she had come to recognize 
as her inheritance. 

Deeply moved, Rene, to some extent, read in her 
expressive face what was passing in her mind. How 
touching she looked in her tearless sadness, in her 
half conscious surrender to a fate, the bitterness of 
which she could hardly measure ! So noble, so beau- 
tiful, so absolutely free from anything coarse or 
vulgar ; what homage she would have received, what 
care, what devotion, what affection would have been 
accorded her, if it had not pleased the capricious 
gods, after having endowed her with beauty enough 
to blind the eyes of the living, to hide this rare pearl 
in the depths of the ocean ! What a strange exist- 
ence hers had been ! She never had looked upon a 


The Song of the Street, 185 

youth till she saw Rene. All the words she had lis- 
tened to had been grave and solemn. She had 
known nothing of girlish chatter, of that sweet bab- 
bling of infancy. More than that, she was entirely 
ignorant of the most innocent fun ; she had dis- 
coursed on learned subjects, and she, herself, used, 
in speaking, ample periods and flowery metaphors, 
which would have seemed out of place on such young 
lips, if they had not been touched with simplicity and 
grace. 

How much this young life needs joy and sun- 
shine,” thought he. “ What would I not give for her 
to know my mother, so good and kind ; HeRne, so 
lively and amiable. Patrice will come to my help, I 
feel sure. When has he ever failed me, good-hearted 
fellow that he is But he is only a man, and I could 
wish to see her among womankind, to fill up the 
blank, the most heartrending of all, in this existence 
so cruelly cut off from affection, from the love of a 
mother, a sister, a friend, or even a servant, from 
feminine affection of any kind.” 

He longed to tell her of the sympathy he felt for 
her, and to speak words of encouragement and 
hope ; to tell her that, while so near to losing all 
she held dear, she had a friend ready to bring 
brightness into the sombre setting of her life. But 
the reverence he felt for her, and the fear of dis- 
pleasing the venerable Charicles, and, perhaps, the 


1 86 The Crystal City, 

fear also of being misunderstood by Atlantis her- 
self, kept him silent. For, with all her lofty Greek 
culture, the young girl was ignorant of many things, 
a complete stranger, one would think, to any senti- 
ment of the modern mind ! Before startling her by 
premature professions of love, would it not be better 
to try to bring about a better understanding of each 
other ; to reveal to her something of her moral per- 
sonality — her responsibility ; to tell her something 
of the world above the sea-level, from which a strict 
law had severed her } Should he not, above all, 
endeavour to dissipate the dark cloud of loneliness 
and isolation which weighed on her like a yoke of 
lead ; to teach her something of the liveliness and 
gaiety belonging to her age ; to teach her to laugh ; 
and, from the majestic isolation that enveloped her, 
to bring out the sweet and simple girl that she 
really was } There would be time then to accustom 
her to the thought of the future, to teach her that, 
though she had known nothing of family life, of the 
cradle or the fireside, or of the friendly circle, the 
most brilliant and happy future was hers if she 
cared to have it. 

Thus, guided by the most prudent and delicate of 
motives, the young man refrained from expressing 
what he felt so strongly. By adroit questions, he 
sought merely to induce her to throw off the oppres- 
sion that weighed her down. From the broad lines 


The Song of the Siren. 187 

and overwhelming facts of the history of her race, 
he drew her on to tell him familiar and amusing 
details. He made her tell him about the life in 
the submerged city ; how they first substituted art 
for nature for their daily needs ; to what expedients 
necessity, the rriother of invention, had brought the 
exiles, improving, by delicacy and finish, the most 
trifling objects they used ; how tradition had been 
piously and devotedly clung to ; how new genera- 
tions had grown up ; and how, when the last of 
the original inhabitants died, there remained not a 
single person who had seen the sun and breathed 
the upper air ; how, a few months after her birth, 
a mysterious epidemic had carried off her mother, 
and swept away, at one stroke, relations and friends, 
and how the race, so strong and vigorous, became 
reduced to the two present representatives, Charicles 
and Atlantis. But, while encouraging her to tell 
him all this, Rene took care to keep the dark 
side of it in the background, dwelling upon the 
picturesque and humourous aspect ; and the young 
girl, who till now knew nothing of laughter, save the 
boisterous mirth of Homer’s rough soldiers, was 
actually betrayed into a peal of merriment as aston- 
ishing as delightful, coming from one who hardly 
knew even how to smile. He seized every oppor- 
tunity of teaching her, not only a few words of 
French, but the elementary notions of our world. 


The Crystal City, 


1 88 

its institutions, customs and fashions, its greatness 
and its folly ; and he had the joy of seeing the 
gravity of her face relax little by little; and, as 
his language took a simple and familiar turn, a 
look of girlish amusement stole over her sweet 
face, and made her blue eyes sparkle with keen 
intelligence. 

“ It is not for nothing, that she is a distant cousin 
of Aristophanes ! ” said Rene to himself, delighted 
with the vivacity of the young Greek girl. ‘‘It 
would have been more wonderful still if, coming 
as she does from such a source, the consoling gift, 
common to his race, of seizing the amusing side 
of things, had been lacking in her. Dear Atlantis ! 
what capacity, what talent lies dormant in her ! 
How I long to give this noble creature the space 
she needs for developing herself freely and harmo- 
niously. Ah ! I can only repeat, what miracles my 
mother and Helene could effect here ! With her 
marvellous intuition, her Athenian suppleness, she 
would grasp things almost before they had time to 
explain them ! I sometimes think that it would be 
a pity and almost impious to drape this antique 
muse in a costume bought in the Rue de la Paix, 
to exchange her sandals for boots, and the fillet 
which binds her hair for a hat trimmed with ribbon. 
Pure prejudice, however! I feel sure, if I under- 
stand her, that in a week’s time, in a few hours’ 


The Song of the Siren. 189 

stay in Paris, she would understand and adopt the 
modern costume. It is only rusticity that is the 
innate foe of fashion, and who understood the wor- 
ship of novelty better than the Greeks.^ And is 
there, after all, an absolute standard of beauty in 
dress } Does it not all depend upon the grace of 
the wearer } And who could hope to compete with 
her in that.^ And it would be the same in every- 
thing ; she would assimilate everything that is good 
and beautiful; she would become the most accom- 
plished of French women.” 

The long hours passed, so interesting, so full of 
new impressions, of reciprocal revelations, of excur- 
sions into unknown lands, where each in turn took 
the part of a guide, that it seemed impossible to 
them afterwards, in recalling those days, to believe 
that they were only measured by the ordinary length. 
And they were right, for hours, like centuries, have 
only a conventional limit, and these days were an 
epoch in their life. 

Meanwhile, as Atlantis told her story, Charicles 
gradually relapsed into silence and immobility. At- 
tentive at first, by and by his eyes closed, and his 
slow, deep breathing made it evident to them that 
his uneasy sleep had returned. Atlantis, poor child, 
did not understand the gravity of it ; but this torpor 
seemed of bad augury to Rene’s more experienced 
eyes. Convinced that it was necessary to rouse the 


190 


The Crystal City. 


invalid, he made him swallow some more drops of 
his elixir, and tried by friction to restore heat to the 
cold limbs. But all efforts were in vain. If the old 
man gave any sign of life, it was but a feeble move- 
ment, and only manifested a painful desire to be left 
to die in peace. Now and then they fancied they 
discerned some trace of consciousness on the marble 
face, once even a slight contraction of the brows, 
like a hardly perceptible ripple stirred by the breeze 
on a smooth lake. Was he listening to them ? Did 
he hear ? Did he understand ? Rene and Atlantis 
had never talked so freely as now. They had before 
told each other their history. Now they opened 
their hearts to each other. Did the old man per- 
ceive, in the animated words of the young man, in 
the ardent interest of the young girl, the inspiration 
of a life from which he had voluntarily shut himself 
out ? Was his old heart wrung, on the threshold of 
the darkness on which he was about to enter, with a 
bitter regret for all that he might have known, for 
all that he was about to quit } The two young peo- 
ple bent over him, watching for some fresh sign of 
awakening consciousness ; spoke to him affection- 
ately ; begged him to tell them by a sign if he 
wished for anything. But no, he lay absolutely still. 
They were deceived, no doubt, and they seated 
themselves by his couch. Hope had brought a 
brighter colour to Atlantis’s face than the delicate 


The Song of the Siren, 191 

tint habitual to it. She looked at that moment so 
exquisitely beautiful that Rene could not take his 
eyes off her face, and the frank and unaffected look 
of inquiry of the reason of this persistent attention 
drew from him the remark : 

“ I wonder how so lovely a flower can bloom with- 
out the sun’s rays ever having touched it. Excuse 
me,” he added, precipitately, when he saw deepen 
the blush that he had so praised. Such observa- 
tions are unpardonable, but I assure you it slipped 
from me without premeditation.” 

The young girl knew nothing of the art of receiv- 
ing or resenting a compliment. She blushed from 
innate modesty, but it never would have entered her 
head to be offended at what he said. Why, if you 
think me beautiful, should you not tell me so .^ ” 
replied she, simply. Beauty is a gift of the gods, 
my father has taught me, and I thank them for hav- 
ing made me beautiful, in his eyes and in yours. 
Besides, do not think that I have never seen the 
light of fair Phoebus.” 

‘‘What do you say.?” cried Rene. “Did the 
science of the sublime old man extend as far as 
that .? Could science find means to pierce the dense, 
dark mass of the waters and reach the light of day .? 
In truth that does puzzle me ! ” 

“No,” said Atlantis, “it was not by any help of 
optical instruments that I saw the glorious fire which 


192 


The Crystal City, 


gives life to the world. Certainly the science which 
my father made use of, the legacy he received from 
ancient Egypt, added to his own profound thought- 
fulness, seemed to me to far outstrip what you have 
told me of modern conquests in the domain of phys- 
ical science ; but it was with my own eyes that I saw 
the sun ! ” 

‘‘Is it possible? You have been in our world! 
You will perhaps be allowed to come back to it! 
•I must be dreaming, surely. Do please tell me 
about it. You cannot think how happy that revela- 
tion has made me.” 

“ In your world ? ” repeated Atlantis, with an un- 
conscious expression of melancholy. “No, I have 
never landed there. I have never left the kingdom of 
Thetis ; my father would not have suffered it. I 
should never have dared to ask him to infringe, for 
my sake, the severe law under which we lived, by 
allowing me to rise to the surface of the water. My 
father is infallible, like the gods. He knows what 
is just and right, and it is not for a weak girl to 
question his decrees. But, when curiosity is roused 
by restlessness and by eyes opening and longing to 
see more, and has found its way into the heart, and 
brings sleeplessness to one’s pillow, how can one 
stifle it ? Phoebus had just accomplished for the 
fifteenth time his revolution round the world, after 
I was born, when my father, judging me to be 


The Song of the Siren, 193 

worthy to listen to his confidences, revealed to me 
the complete history of our people. Till that time,- 
I was ignorant of the fact that the Atlantes had 
ever lived in the upper world. What do I say } I 
did not know, even, that there was a world outside 
my home. Ah ! would that he had kept the secret ! 
From that day, my mind learnt what unrest, agita- 
tion, discontent was. I knew then that I was a 
prisoner. In vain Charicles boasted of the great- 
ness of my ancestors, taught me to appreciate the 
advantage of being born of an opulent and noble 
race, and showed me how the great majority of my 
fellow men were bound under the yoke of powerful 
tyrants, debased and depressed by excessive toil, and 
not always succeeding in earning by their daily 
labour the bread necessary for their children’s mis- 
erable existence. Strange, indeed, it was, that this 
comparison only made me envy the fate of these 
defrauded people. My father called them slaves ; 
ah! was I not much more a slave Had they not 
the fresh air to breathe, the vault of heaven for a 
habitation, the sun for light and heat ? These poor 
women that my father described, begging alms, 
trailing their rags on the roadside, often burdened 
by an infant their arms were barely strong enough 
to carry, — oh, how gladly would I have given up to 
them my rich clothing, the abundance and delicacies 
of our table, the glories of my past, the security of 


194 


The Crystal City, 


the present ! I would gladly have had a taste of 
their misery, for the sake of breathing the fresh air, 
of feasting my eyes with the sight of my fellow crea- 
tures, of hearing their voices, and something of the 
noisy tumult of life. All these thoughts I kept to 
myself, but Charicles’s eyes were piercing, and he 
saw my face grow paler day by day, under the 
pressure of this indescribable longing. 

One day my father said to me : ‘ Atlantis, the 
look of care I see in thy pale brow, thy hollow 
cheek, thy haggard eye, has entered into my heart.’ 

“ ‘ Father,’ replied I, ^ forgive a weak girl. I can- 
not help it. Yes, I confess that black care has 
taken possession of my soul. This cruel imprison- 
ment weighs me down.’ 

“ ‘ And thou hast not confided thy trouble to thy 
father .? ’ 

“ ^ Respect, and the fear of displeasing thee, have 
kept my mouth closed.’ 

‘‘ ‘Speak ! I authorize thee to do so.’ 

“ Then I told him, not so freely, perhaps, as I am 
telling you now, for I feared that he might imply 
that I reproached him, how much I longed for 
change, the great desire I felt to see the land of the 
living, my true country ; to escape, if only for a 
short time, from this tomb which was crushing my 
heart. Charicles did not say much in response to 
my confession ; when he spoke, they were oracles 


The Song of the Siren, 195 

which fell from his lips, and, if he had had a word of 
blame for my aspirations, there would have been no 
appeal against it. But he was doubtless touched by 
my distress, though neither a word nor a look be- 
trayed it to me then. For I soon found that he was 
making preparations for a voyage. My father is a 
good workman as well as a clever mechanician. 
With his own hands, he constructed a shallop her- 
metically closed, attached to a floating air-balloon 
fitted with hydrogen gas, by which we could rise to 
the surface of the water. It was a marvel of light- 
ness and elegance.” 

<‘Ah!” cried Rene, ‘‘how much I should like to 
see it ! ” 

“ I should think you would, indeed,” said Atlantis, 
smiling; “there is no need for me to boast to you 
about a prodigy such as you have accomplished your- 
self in an inverse sense, that is the only difference. 
But alas, thou wilt never see it, this vessel which 
was so dear to me, for Charicles destroyed it with 
his own hands ! ” 

“ Heavens ! did the noble artist become a prey to 
temporary madness V 

“No,” replied Atlantis, shaking her head, “the 
dark furies never clouded the clear understanding of 
Charicles ; it was by a deliberate act that he reduced 
to nothing the work of his genius. This is what 
happened : Everything was in readiness for the 


196 


The Crystal City, 


ascent I had been longing for. Trembling with 
impatience, I waited for my father to give the word 
for me to set foot on the boat, when he took my 
hand and said to me, with great solemnity : 

Atlantis, the object which thou hast so much 
desired is about to be accomplished. Before thou 
seest the region which attracts thy curiosity, it is my 
duty, it is due to our traditions, to warn you of three 
things : our excursion must be bounded by the liquid 
element ; neither Charicles nor Atlantis must ever 
land upon the shores of continents inhabited by bar- 
barians. In the second place, we must avoid attract- 
ing attention from any vessels we might meet, and 
lastly, and this point I insist upon, these excursions 
must be of rare occurrence and very short, and, if 
I find that thy heart is too much set upon them, and 
that thou sighest after a different mode of life from 
that of thy fathers, I shall not hesitate to break in 
pieces the instrument which will have helped thee 
to be unfaithful to thy own home ! ’ 

“ I promised all my father wished. I thought that 
I could bend to his will, and I was, moreover, so 
happy at the thought of going that I hardly paid 
attention to what he said. 

“The boat leapt from the point from which he 
detached it with prodigious speed, and, in a few 
moments, we were at the surface. What a spectacle ! 
Phoebus, having almost finished his course, was about 


The Song of the Siren, 197 

to plunge with his flaming car below the wide ex- 
panse. Already a star had appeared. A little later 
the sun disappeared ; other stars shone out ; a balmy, 
divine breeze fanned our faces. Ye gods, what won- 
ders ! How could any one enjoy such pleasures day 
by day and call himself unhappy } My father pointed 
out the constellations to me, and showed me how to 
set a quadrant. I listened to him as in a dream ; he 
seemed to me to be numbered among the gods. But 
soon a sharp pain smote me to the heart, when he 
said : ‘ Prepare to descend again.’ I was on the point 
of letting entreaty, a word of remonstrance, escape 
me, but I stopped in time. For the first time in 
my life I dissimulated. With a force that I cannot 
explain to myself, I controlled my face, called up 
a laughing expression, and accepted with apparent 
indifference the signal to return. I felt that I must 
at any cost see these splendid heavens again, feel the 
rocking of the waves, drink another deep draught of 
the blessed air. I learnt how to wait without betray- 
ing my haste till my father decreed another excursion 
into the upper world, but I was devoured with impa- 
tience. At last, the moment so long waited for 
arrived ; my father, much pleased with me, gave me 
the reward of my obedience. And so we repeated 
the pleasure several times, and I lived only for them. 

“ One night, not very long ago, we were floating, 
impelled by a light breeze, when a vessel of elegant 


198 


The Crystal City, 


proportions appeared in sight. By degrees it came 
nearer ; I felt sure I saw a human form on the deck ! 
Ah ! young stranger, thou canst form no conception 
of the emotions that passed through my mind ! My 
father was absorbed, or sleeping, I do not know 
which. He did not appear to pay any attention to 
what was passing around him. Suddenly the god of 
harmony took possession of me, involuntarily, and 
almost without knowing what I did, I gave utterance 
to the feeling that oppressed me, and a song escaped 
my lips. My father had carefully trained me in the 
art of music, but this song I had never learnt. It 
had a sad, irresistible, spontaneous expression, the 
aspiration of my soul. I ceased, consoled at having 
given a shape to my anguish ; but imagine how my 
heart fluttered at the sound, at a little distance, of a 
musical voice raised in its turn across the water. It 
seemed as if the sea had brought a response to my call. 
I could not understand the words, but I remember 
the melody. I shall never forget it as long as I live.” 

“ Atlantis ! Atlantis ! ” cried Rene, who for some 
moments had scarcely succeeded in controlling his 
agitation, “ I am certain I know that melody, let me 
repeat the words to you.” And, in a voice in which 
deep feeling could not conceal the purity and fulness, 
he repeated the first few words of Marcello’s hymn : 
‘‘The heavens are telling.” Atlantis, with dilated 
eyes, seemed petrified with astonishment ; but soon. 



The Song 


OF Atlantis. 










'r • 

• - . '*• 


■-V -. - f - I^ - . 'Mr * 

*<■>.? -y . 1 .• '■ .'- .'r^»? 

• '■ V 

■v!.. , • . 






The Song of the Siren. 199 

two tears, the first he had seen in her eyes, betrayed 
her tender joy. 

It was thou ! it was thou ! " she articulated, in 
a stifled voice. 

“Yes, it was I, and it was thou! " repeated Rene, 
not less moved, not less happy. “Ah, dear Atlantis, 
here is a link worth ten years of friendship. It was 
while I was sounding from the yacht Cinderella. It 
was midnight ; I was alone on deck when I heard 
a divine voice piercing the pure air. How many 
times I have ineffectually tried to transcribe those 
incomparable stanzas ! ” 

I could not repeat them again myself,” said 
Atlantis. “All that I know is that they came 
straight from my heart, and also that they shut me 
out forever from the upper world, for, at the sound 
of my voice, Charicles suddenly awoke from his 
reverie. ‘Miserable girl!’ cried he, ‘what hast 
thou done ? Like the deceitful sirens, doth thou use 
a gift from heaven to enchant thy own father, to 
lull his watchfulness over thee to sleep Hast thou 
forgotten thy vows ? Say farewell to the starry 
vault, to the waving waters, to the seductive air. 
Thou shalt never see them again.’ The sides of the 
boat closed over us and we sank under water. A 
fragment of thy song still rang in my ravished ear. 
The next day Charicles destroyed his chef-d'oeuvre. 
No words can paint my grief to thee. I lost all hope.” 


CHAPTER XVII. 


CHARICLES IMBIBES SOME MODERN IDEAS. 

Deeply moved by what they had just discovered, 
and occupied with again and again going over the 
recollection of that strange meeting, and corrobo- 
rating the details of it by their simultaneous proofs, 
marvelling at the prodigy, saying to each other over 
and over again that it was a unique occurrence, and 
an evident indication of destiny, the two young 
people were unaware that Charicles, for a long time, 
had lain with his eyes open. 

“Attention!” the old man suddenly articulated. 

Overjoyed, they flew to his side. What new 
miracle was about to be accomplished ? The inva- 
lid’s voice was quite clear, his eye bright, and his 
features had lost their rigidity ; but what struck 
them still more than these welcome signs of a return 
to life, was the new expression on his face. Neither 
of them could have explained how it was, but he 
seemed to them to have become a new man, pre- 
viously unknown to them. In this spirit, devoted 
unswervingly to appearances, to the exclusive wor- 





The Recovery of Charicles. 








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1 


Charicles Imbibes Some Modern Ideas. 201 


ship of the past, the present came as a revelation, 
and pity had penetrated his inexorable heart. 

“ My children,” said he, “ I want to speak to you. 
While you have been talking, I have heard you, I 
have been listening, I have understood. More than 
once I have tried to raise my voice to speak to you, 
but I could not ; my tongue was tied. It was fated 
that I should wait and hear you to the end, that the 
scales might gradually fall from my eyes, that my 
obstinate heart might learn the lesson taught by this 
young stranger, of humanity and pity. Atlantis, it 
is not seeming that an old man should humble him- 
self before the young, much less a father before his 
child. But I wish, before going to join the shades 
of my ancestors, to confess that I have been hard 
towards thee. I believed I was acting rightly ; I 
was prompted by tradition.” 

“ Father, revered father,” said the trembling girl, 
throwing herself on her knees beside the bed, and 
pressing his wasted hand to her lips, do not speak 
thus. Forgive my audacity. Thou alone knowest 
what thou oughtest to say. But I cannot bear to 
hear thee reproach thyself on my account, — thou so 
noble and so great! No, I cannot. Thy words are 
like a sword piercing my heart. I was wrong to 
complain, seeing that all my destiny has been ruled 
by wisdom itself. Forget, father, the imprudent 
words, which a hostile power doubtless dictated. I 


202 


The Crystal City. 


call the gods to witness, the gods that have always 
protected our family, that my respect for thee and 
my gratitude to thee will never fail.” 

Sobs choked her voice, and prevented her from 
continuing. 

‘‘Calm thyself, my daughter,” said Charicles, 
stroking her fair head fondly. “Thy readiness to 
accuse thyself is a proof of thy generous heart. If 
thou hast wronged me it is but a light matter, and I 
forgive thee ; but I must speak, and thou must listen 
to what I have to say. I have heard it said,” con- 
tinued he, dreamily, “ that wisdom sometimes issues 
from the mouths of children. It is true. I, an old 
man, versed in science, ripened by meditation, en- 
lightened by history, and strong in experience, have 
learnt something from thy young lips ; thou hast 
brought me a message. I have learnt that wisdom 
has clothed herself in a new form, and I acknowledge 
a power more beautiful than all I ever valued before ; 
that virtue, that sentiment that thou describeth, 
young man, by the sublime words of brotherly love 
and pity between man and man. I believed that my 
science, being of more ancient origin, if not greater 
than all that thou hast attained to by groping in the 
dark, justified me in keeping up a haughty reserve, 
refusing to have anything to do with barbarians, as 
our Greek fathers called all those who were not of 
their race, in affirming to the end our essential 


Charicles Imbibes Some Modern Ideas, 203 

superiority. It is right that I should stoop to own 
that the world has progressed without us. I believed 
that, having reached the highest point of perfection, 
we ought to remain stationary for fear of deteriorat- 
ing ; but thou hast shown me to what error my pride 
led me. Not that thou hast ever made use of arro- 
gant or exaggerated words to boast of the great 
things accomplished by thy race. Modesty reigns 
on thy lips, and I am pleased by the importance thou 
givest to the sentiment to which thou givest a new 
name, that of patriotism. Far from seeking to dazzle 
me with a picture of civilization acquired without 
effort, thou hast described to me the painstaking 
work of centuries, the slow conquests of heredity, 
and the laborious progress of moral ideas. I under- 
stand now what we have missed. I see, at my life’s 
close, that during the whole of it I have hugged a 
phantom in my arms, a withered skeleton. Of what 
use is a science which will not be beneficial to 
others ? What good is there in riches, beauty, power 
if not shared, with humanity ? But the error that 
could only affect me was nothing to the much graver 
wrong of condemning my daughter to a destiny 
which could only be heavy and cruel ! 

“ Yes,” he resumed, “ I have been harsh and severe ; 
but who can tell how to distinguish between the 
wilful and the unconscious pursuit of error. I blindly 
followed the traditions of the Atlantes ; but my 


204 


The Crystal City, 


eyes have been opened at last. Thou hast brought 
to me the spirit of thy age, stranger ; and it is a 
benevolent spirit. The inexpressible charm which 
emanates from thy ardent and generous life has con- 
quered me. Since the day that thou madest thy 
appearance here, an insensible change has come over 
me unknown to myself ; but it is while listening to 
you two that the ice in my heart has broken. Thou 
hast tried, traveller, to make me seize these charac- 
teristics of thy modern world : sympathy, altruism, 
courteous amenities, freedom, without familiarity, 
and above all, chivalry, and the just and generous 
place accorded to woman in the family. And thy 
example has been stronger than all thy words. I 
listened to my Atlantis, and it seemed as if I heard 
a new creature speaking. I who gave her life, the 
only person who has trained her, — I never spoke to 
her as thou hast done ! What graces, what flowers I 
have bruised or unknowingly neglected in this tender 
plant. Awkward, clumsy gardener, I still tried, after 
having despotically compelled her to share with me 
during her early years my voluntary exile, to con- 
demn her to spend the rest of her life in this close 
conservatory, where she feels suffocated and longs for 
fresher air. My excuse is, I repeat, that I was blind. 

“ Now that I see, Atlantis, I give thee thy liberty. 
Those of thy race that have erred through inflexi- 
bility or obstinacy have not failed in magnanimity. 


Charicles Imbibes Some Modern Ideas. 205 

Thou knowest, my daughter, that if I have been 
tardy in understanding thee, I am at least prompt in 
giving thee satisfaction; and, if ever thy old father 
has seemed to thee hard and cruel, know that under- 
neath the pride, that tradition and habit had fostered 
in his heart, the most pure affection for thee never 
ceased to burn. Go then, Atlantis ; leave the home 
of thy fathers under the guidance of this generous 
stranger.” 

Obedient to her father’s command, Atlantis had 
made a strong effort to control the poignant feelings 
his words cost her, so that she might not interrupt 
by word or sign a speech which cut her to the heart. 
But now she could contain herself no longer. 

“ Father, father ! ” cried she, her words cut short 
by sobs, “ dost thou want to break my heart t I, 
leave thee } Ah ! if ever I ventured to wish to 
become familiar with the fresh air of the country 
or the noise of populous cities, it is by thy side that 
I would like to be ; without thee, I should not have 
cared for these joys. Tell me what thou knowest 
about them, fafher; but whatever thou sayest or 
doest, do not tell me to leave thee ! ” 

“Thou hast but half understood me, my child,” 
said the old man, with a gentle smile ; “ it is not 
thou who wilt leave me, it is I whose hours are 
numbered.” 

Poor Atlantis sobbed afresh. 


206 


The Crystal City, 


“ Let us learn to accept the inevitable, my daugh- 
ter,” continued he, a shade of sternness in his tone, 
“ and not trouble ourselves with vain lamentations 
in so solemn an hour, the last hour, in which it is 
given to me to cast a retrospective glance for the 
last time before collecting myself and resuming — ” 
But it is not the last,” interrupted Ren6, impet- 
uously. In a few hours, perhaps less, noble Chari- 
cles, I hope to welcome the arrival of the friend of 
whom I told you, — a man profoundly versed in the 
art of healing, and who will restore you to health. 
Ah ! let us hope so ! let us hope that our care and 
our love will restore to you the desire and the power 
to live. I never knew my father, Charicles ; grant 
me the happiness of finding one in you ; permit me 
to share Atlantis’s hopes and fears, and spare us 
the melancholy forebodings of death which afflict us 
both.” 

“ It is useless to try to deceive me,” said the old 
man, affectionately but decidedly. “ Death is beck- 
oning me and I must follow him. All the skill of 
thy friend could only delay the end for a few short 
days. While there is time, and the gods grant me 
clearness of mind, it will be much better to take 
the measures necessary for repairing the past, and 
arranging for the future, than losing precious mo- 
ments in abandoning ourselves to false hopes.” 

Charicles paused, exhausted with speaking so long. 


Charicles Imbibes Some\Modern Ideas, 207 

Atlantis had taken his hand, over which her silent 
tears flowed. Rene, standing by the bed, waited 
respectfully till the old man gained strength enough 
to express his thoughts. He felt sure that he had 
something decisive to say. Had not he said a little 
while before to his daughter : “ Go, follow this gen- 
erous stranger.” And how could she follow him 
except as his affianced bride } Evidently he was 
about to confide her to him, his only child, the last 
flower of this haughty stock, already so interesting 
by her strange destiny, rendered more touching still 
by the imminent loss of her sole relative. Ah ! how 
he longed to comfort the dying man with assurances 
that his wishes should be piously carried out ; that 
the precious legacy would fall into safe hands ; that 
the orphan would find a family circle, the stranger a 
home. 

Truth to say, events had developed more rapidly 
than even he could have wished. When Rene pene- 
trated into the submarine fortress, attracted by a 
love that had mastered him, his motive was unques- 
tionably to ingratiate himself with Charicles and his 
daughter, to make himself acceptable to them, in 
fact, to arrive step by step at the result he had now 
reached. He had calculated all the possibilities, all 
the difficulties of the enterprise, and the event 
proved he had calculated rightly. The only thing 
he had not foreseen was the rapidity with which it 


208 


The Crystal City, 


all came about. Not that he was not in haste, as 
far as he himself was concerned, to call Atlantis his 
betrothed wife ; that can be understood ; but he 
was not the only person to take into consideration. 
Rene had a mother, a mother justly loved and ven- 
erated ; he knew what plans Madame Caoudal had 
formed for a long time with regard to his future ; he 
did not shut his eyes to the possibility of her instinc- 
tively protesting against a daughter-in-law of such 
extraordinary origin, even if she had not had at 
heart his marriage with Helene. Certainly he reck- 
oned upon overcoming this pardonable opposition ; 
but it would be necessary for him to treat her prej- 
udices with all possible consideration ; to prepare 
her by degrees to become acquainted with both 
father and daughter, to introduce them to her at 
the right moment ; and, Madame Caoudal and He- 
lene once conquered (as would infallibly be the case), 
to risk his petition. The turn things had taken, 
however, seemed hardly favourable to this arrange- 
ment ; to await the last hours of Charicles, to close 
his eyes, and, once the last sad duties to him fulfilled, 
to regain terra jii'ma with Atlantis, to present the 
interesting stranger to Madame Caoudal, seemed to 
him the course to pursue ; for where could he take 
her but to the care of his mother ? Ah ! he knew 
her well ! She would be kind, helpful, hospitable to 
the orphan, but accept her as a daughter! No; 


Char ides Imbibes Some Modern Ideas. 209 

such a mode of introduction as that would be fatal 
to future harmony. Ah ! if Madame Caoudal could 
but see her in her own home, converse with the 
noble Charicles, arrange with him the future of their 
children, — follow the good old French custom which 
leaves the parents a free hand in such matters, — 
he felt the greatest difficulty would be surmounted. 
But what was the use of conjuring up the impossi- 
ble } The only thing to be done, now, was to take 
things as they were ; and to endeavour to arm him- 
self with courage and patience and tact in view of 
probable obstacles. 

“What would I not have given, two months ago,’' 
thought he, “for a tithe of the satisfaction I feel 
now ? What price would I not have paid for the 
situation of things as they now are, with all the 
ordeals and struggles I have gone through in the 
attainment of it ? No difficulty would have stopped 
me. Alas! that which makes me anxious now, is 
not the necessity of toiling and struggling ! But 
how arm oneself against a loving mother, when one 
is about to disappoint her hopes, and how endure 
with an intrepid face the contempt which would at 
first strike my sweet Atlantis } ” 

As these anxious thoughts revolved in Rene’s 
mind, cares which clouded his present joy with- 
out, however, in the least altering or modifying 
his resolution, Charicles had recovered sufficient 


2 10 The Crystal City, 

strength to renew the interrupted thread of his 
discourse, to give Rene his final instructions, and 
to confer on him the supreme proof of his confi- 
dence, — the honour of espousing his daughter, the 
pearl of the ocean. His features were lighted up 
with a generous nobility of expression, — he be- 
lieved, and not unreasonably, that he was offering 
him a priceless gift. The poor old man would have 
been much surprised if he had known how pre- 
occupied and agitated was the mind of his adopted 
son. He, Charicles, the representative of so noble a 
race, how could he or his be received by no matter 
what family with coldness or displeasure } Alliance 
with them, at the most, accepted and not at all 
solicited ! Atlantis merely tolerated and not sought ! 
How could he suspect such a state of things } If 
Rene had lifted a corner of the veil, he could not 
have explained to him the prejudice, the littleness, 
the want of confidence hidden in the heart of the 
best of his kind. It was a subject he could not 
broach. 

“Young man,” said Charicles, in a solemn voice, 
“come neaV me.” He seized his hand and joined 
it to that of Atlantis. “ I give her to thee,” said 
he, with dignity ; “ she is worthy of thee. I have 
studied thee well. Thou art generous and strong; 
intelligence lights up thy face ; courage shines in 
thine eyes, and thy mouth knows not how to lie. 


Charicles Imbibes Some Moder 7 i Ideas, 2 1 1 

Thy heart has gone out to my daughter ; guard it 
faithfully for her. Thou wilt soon be her only 
kindred, be a father to her as well as a husband ; 
she will repay thee a hundredfold for anything thou 
dost for her.” 

“Charicles,” said Rene, with a firm voice, ‘T 
receive, with love and gratitude, the glorious gift 
you have made me. Heaven grant that our care 
of you may prolong your days, but, when the hour 
comes that you must leave us, depart in peace ! 
Your daughter shall be served and protected as 
she ought to be, — I can add nothing to that. You 
have said, better than I could have expressed it, 
that my heart is hers, my life belongs to her, and 
will be consecrated to making her happy. May I 
succeed in doing so.” 

Silent and thoughtful, the young girl listened 
without joining in the conversation of which she 
was the subject. Her unaffected looks expressed 
deep joy and absolute confidence. She had no more 
idea of possible difficulties in the way of her happi- 
ness than her father had ; and if she had, the proud 
consciousness of her worth would have been suffi- 
cient to banish uneasiness on that score. But she 
was far from imagining anything of the kind. It 
was not for nothing that her life had been spent 
at the bottom of the sea. It would hardly have 
been worth while to have been brought up in such 


212 


The Crystal City. 


a retreat, if she had brought to the threshold of 
married life the paltry cares and artificial preoccu- 
pation which too often come in its train. Mar- 
riage portion, relations, wedding presents and other 
accessories, which so often take up the principal 
place at weddings, had, one may be sure, no place 
in her thoughts, any more than the question as 
to whether she was making a grand match and 
Rene a mediocre one. By and by, no doubt, she 
would know something of it all, and would learn 
to treat, with becoming seriousness, the trifles which 
take up so large a place in society. For the present 
she was ignorant of them, and Rene could enjoy 
with confidence the feeling that the interest he 
inspired in his fianch was not influenced by any 
of these considerations. In the eyes of Atlantis 
there were only three living beings ; her father, 
Rene and herself, and the outside world was noth- 
ing to her. It was enough for her that she was 
betrothed, and she was free to listen devoutly to 
the solemn words pronounced by her father. 

Dear daughter,” resumed Charicles, in a voice 
still clear, but manifestly weaker, “ he whom from 
this time forward I shall call my son has taught me 
that, in the country where he lives, though a father 
holds the right of disposing his daughter in mar- 
riage, his power is always tempered with gentleness ; 
the young girl is allowed to give her opinion ! That 


Charicles Imbibes Some Modem Ideas. 2 1 3 

custom surprises me much ; but, in regard to thy 
future condition, I do not shrink from conforming to 
it. Say, Atlantis, what is thy mind on the subject 
of the husband I have chosen for thee } ” 

My heart is full of joy,” the young girl unhesi- 
tatingly replied ; ‘‘ and it blesses thee, father. I am 
ignorant of many things, but of one thing I am 
certain, and that is that I would have chosen him 
among any to whom thou couldst have united me. 
I say this frankly, Rene, for, unknown to yourself, 
you have more than once allowed a doubt about me 
to be perceptible. Confess,” said she, with a mali- 
cious twinkle in her eyes, ^‘that you are not alto- 
gether without fear that my choice may be the effect 
of chance ; the love I give you might have been 
given to any one who instead of you had knocked at 
our door. Undeceive yourself. Like that Miranda, 
whose history you have told me, I have never seen 
any one else, it is true ; but is not my father the 
most beautiful, the most perfect of men, and, if you 
have borne comparison with him, does not that 
prove that you ought to be superior to all others ? 
Besides, Rene, henceforth it is no longer the ques- 
tion between us of the relative value of either of us. 
What does it matter to us if there are men and 
women in the world worth more than we. We are 
one, that is enough.” 

My child,” said Charicles, charmed, wisdom 


214 


The Crystal City, 


and grace speak by thy mouth. But is it true, my 
son, has this child penetrated thy secret thoughts ? ” 
It is perfectly true,” said Rene, surprised and 
delighted ; “ such fears have crossed my mind. Thy 
daughter’s perfections and my inferior merits must 
be my excuse. But, believe me, Atlantis, after what 
you have just said, all my fears are set at rest. I 
also bless thee, Charicles, for having given me such a 
bride. Never man before had one so good and pure.” 

“ And I bless the gods for having reserved for 
me so happy an end,” said the old man; “and I 
pray them to give you a long and happy life. But I 
must not, in the contemplation of your joy, allow my 
strength to wear away before putting in order mate- 
rial affairs. Listen to my last instructions ! ” 

He collected himself for an instant, and then, in a 
voice that was only a gasp, said : 

“ I do not wish to have any tomb but the bed on 
which I lie, — on which my ancestors have given up 
the ghost, and where the glorious line of the inhabi- 
tants of Atlantide is now about to be closed. My 
son Rene, I beg thee to accept, in the name of thy 
wife, the jewels that thou wilt find in the ivory chest 
at the head of my bed. They constitute a dowry 
worthy of the daughter of the Atlantes, and thou 
wilt be able to carry them away without being over- 
burdened. And, when I have ceased to live, you 
will go. I wish it.” 


Charicles Imbibes Some Moder 7 i Ideas, 2 1 5 

Charicles’s voice here became so feeble that they 
could hardly hear what he said. It was apparently 
a short swoon. Then, recovering, he resumed, with 
an effort : 

I must show you the way out.” 

But here, his words were altogether inaudible, his 
face became fixed, and he was once more completely 
powerless. Atlantis, leaning over him in anguish, 
laid her hand on his heart. Rene held a glass to 
his pale lips. 

“He still breathes,” said he, joyfully. “ Look at 
this film. Hope ! let us hope ! I am expecting my 
friend’s help. He must soon be here, now.” 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


THE FIRST RING AT THE DOOR. 

Atlantis and Rene, standing beside Charicles’s 
couch, found that they were powerless to rouse him 
from the state of syncope into which he had re- 
lapsed. But, at least, they had the consolation of 
knowing that he still lived, and then they had so 
much to think about and to hope for, that they 
could not be altogether unhappy. Moreover, had 
not Charicles, with his dislike of extravagant expres- 
sions of joy or sorrow, so fatal to harmony and 
beauty, exhorted them to calmness and courage ? 
Had he not expressed a desire that peace and 
serenity should reign round his dying bed ? They 
watched, therefore, by turns, taking time occasion- 
ally for food and rest, sometimes resuming the con- 
versation which was uniting them more and more 
closely, and sometimes relapsing into that uncon- 
strained silence, only possible to those who are in 
perfect sympathy with each other. 

By this time, a week had elapsed since Kerma- 
dec’s departure to the upper regions. Rene had 
counted the hours till his return. He had no doubts 


The First Ring at the Door, 217 

as to Kermadec and Patrice ; his knowledge of the 
blind obedience on the part of the former, and the 
absolute devotion on the part of the latter, told him 
that they would be there at the first possible 
moment if nothing came in the way. And that pos- 
sibility never entered into his calculations. He was 
before all things an optimist ; he possessed the happy 
disposition which, believing all miracles possible, 
assumes the fulfilment of them. The tone of per- 
fect confidence which pervaded his appeal to Stephen 
had acted powerfully in forming his resolution to 
comply with it, and no doubt it had a strong influ- 
ence on Madame Caoudal and Helene. 

The hours slipped along ; and, at length, they 
heard the bell ring ! Atlantis remained by her 
father’s side, and, with a rapid stride, Rene went 
towards the entrance to the air-lock. What was his 
joy when, through the thick, dark liquid mass of 
water, a momentary flash of electric light showed 
him his Titania ! Black, dumpy, compact, it had 
none of the lines which go to form the grace and 
beauty of the ordinary boat. All its beauty was in 
its internal arrangements. But how welcome it was 
in spite of that. With a beating heart Rene turned 
the crank which opened the sluices. The gate half 
opened, and the water penetrated without a rush. 
Little by little the lower chamber was filled ; the 
gate opened wide, the boat entered, and the outer 


The Crystal City. 


218 

gate closed. He then set the pump to work to 
empty the lower chamber ; he saw the surface of the 
water fall and fall with its heavy load, till not a drop 
was left, and the Titania gently touched the sandy 
bed at the bottom. With a hand trembling with im- 
patience, Rene opened the door, and ran to the boat, 
scaled its side, rushed to the companion ladder, with 
hands outstretched, to grasp those of the doctor and 
Kermadec, — and fell into the arms of his mother. 

What exclamations, what tears of joy, what hand- 
shakings, what questions — unanswered — what hap- 
piness all round. Madame Caoudal’s eyes were full 
of tears, as again and again she embraced her son. 
In a torrent of incoherent words, she told him over 
and over again that she had thought never to see 
him again, that the cruel sea had bereft her of him ! 
She scolded him for his temerity, praised him for 
his courage ; heaped upon him all the pet names 
of, his childhood, long forgotten, but suddenly re- 
called under the influence of powerful emotion. 

‘‘Aunt Alice,” said Helene, trying to get a word 
in edgewise, “when you have quite finished with 
Rene, we should like to say a word to him.” 

“ Ah ! you must thank her,” said Madame Caou- 
dal, disengaging herself from his arms ; “ it is her 
doing. I should never have come but for her.” 

She stopped short in the middle of what she was 
saying, her eyes dilated as if struck with a super- 



“Atlantis had come to the Door.” 












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The First Ring at the Door, 219 

human vision. Kermadec was standing with his 
face to the door, cap in hand, bowing low and smil- 
ing. The others turned round, and an exclamation 
of surprise and admiration involuntarily escaped 
them all. Atlantis had come to the door. At- 
tracted by the sound of their lively greetings, she 
came towards them, but at the threshold of the 
entrance she paused in astonishment, as if nailed 
to the floor. What she saw was so new to her, so 
unexpected ! It was not the chorus of voices, or the 
number of people, a sight in itself strange enough 
to the young recluse, which struck her dumb. In 
this group, which to her eyes seemed quite a crowd, 
it was not Patrice or Kermadec, or even Rene him- 
self, who first attracted and riveted her attention; 
what fascinated her was Helene, with her gray 
travelling costume, her gloves, her dark beauty, and 
the contour of a modern woman. But when she 
caught sight of Madame Caoudal, she was deeply 
moved. A mother! What beautiful poems had 
spoken of motherly love to the poor motherless girl ! 
Charicles, in noble and elevating words, had often 
touched on the subject. He had not concealed from 
Atlantis that, in taking her mother from her so 
early, the gods had treated her very harshly. Actu- 
ated, however, by prudence and reserve, he had 
never dwelt long on the subject. Till now, she was 
ignorant of how much she had been bereft. Here 


220 


The Crystal City, 

was a revelation to her. She understood now, what 
Rene had felt, how sad her solitude had been. She 
understood why her young head hung sometimes, 
vaguely troubled by childish thoughts, to which she 
could not give expression for fear of encountering 
Charicles’s displeasure, so great was his dislike to 
any demonstration of tenderness. Ah ! it was not 
to him that she naturally turned for encouragement 
at such times, but to her mother ; whose pale face 
had been hidden from her sight years ago, buried in 
a grotto in the garden. 

Bending eagerly forward, supporting herself with 
one hand on the lintel of the door, and stilling the 
beating of her heart with the other, she listened to 
the torrent of words with which Madame Caoudal 
poured forth her motherly joy ; she felt ready to fall 
on her knees with reverential respect, not in the least 
aware that she was the object of general admiration. 
In the unstudied elegance of her attire, whose grace- 
ful folds Phidias would have loved to reproduce in 
marble, in her pure cameo-like beauty, she looked 
more than mortal. At the same time one could 
trace in her pure features a look of naive envy ; 
they betrayed her distress so ingenuously, her 
longing to share in the banquet of family happi- 
ness spread before her, that they all felt touched. 

Helene was the most prompt in divining her feel- 
ings, and acting upon her kindly impulse. With a 


22 1 


The First Ring at the Door. 

grace different, but not inferior to that of the Greek 
girl, she went towards her with a quick step and 
took her by the hand : 

“Atlantis,’’ said she, “I know you. Rene has 
told me so much about you. I have loved you for 
a long time.” 

Two tears, like dew on violets, moistened Atlan- 
tis’s long eyelashes. 

“And I,” said she, “ know and love you, Helene.” 
Then, in a voice in which respect and shy tenderness 
were mingled, “Is that his mother.?” Her voice 
and looks plainly said : “ Would that she, too, could 
love me ! ” 

Rene could not, durst not, say a word. He waited, 
his heart oppressed between fear and hope, knowing 
the goodness of his mother’s heart, but fully aware 
of her prejudices; overpowered with happiness at 
the sudden turn events had taken, but, nevertheless, 
fearful lest some hitch, some unexpected event, might 
spoil everything. He had not reckoned in vain on 
the generous impulse of his mother’s heart. She, 
also, had cast a sympathetic look at the young Greek 
girl, and, under the striking beauty of her appearance, 
had seen the lonely heart of the child who needed 
support, who thirsted for affection. She held out her 
arms to her. 

“ My child,” she said, “come and kiss me.” 

With a stifled cry the young girl ran to her, and. 


222 


The Crystal City, 


sinking on her knees, she took her hand and kissed 
it ; but Madame Caoudal, raising her, folded her ten- 
derly in her arms, and they mingled tears, whose 
mysterious source they could not have explained. 
Hdene and Patrice exchanged a quick look of sym- 
pathy. They were fast becoming accomplices ; some- 
thing told them that one of the knots in their own 
destiny was soon to be cut. 

But, after all this intense excitement, a sort of 
embarrassment came over them all. Doctor Patrice, 
by way of a relaxation of the tension, asked to be 
introduced to Mademoiselle Atlantis, and begged to 
be conducted without loss of time to his patient. 

In vain Atlantis, desiring to fulfil the duties of 
hospitality, suggested that he should first take a little 
rest. He declared that he had come expressly to 
see her father, to treat him to the best of his ability, 
and not to take his own ease. And, as she was really 
as anxious as he in the matter, she led the way to 
Charicles’s bedside, after having given orders to 
Kermadec to conduct the ladies to a room where 
they could rest, and to serve them with refresh- 
ments. Madame Caoudal signed to her son to 
follow the doctor, and with a look of acquiescence 
he obeyed her. 

“You understand,” explained Madame Caoudal, — 
to whom it occurred that she had lost no time in 
making herself at home, — “ you understand, my 


The First Ring at the Door, 223 

child, that, though it is not proper for us to intrude 
in the invalid’s house before the doctor allows it, on 
the other hand, propriety demands that Rene — ” 
‘‘Oh ! Aunt Alice, propriety! ” cried Helene, with 
a light laugh. “ It seems to me we have acted very 
cavalierly by coming to this house at all uninvited.” 

“ Ah, yes ! that is true enough,” exclaimed 
Madame Caoudal, much concerned at the discovery. 
“ Do you think that Mademoiselle Atlantis will think 
our coming an impertinent intrusion.^” 

“ She } ” said Helene, quickly. “ Is it possible that 
any paltry thought could find a place in that goddess- 
like head } Can’t you see that she has only one wish 
with regard to us, and that is to offer everything her 
house contains with all her heart. She is altogether 
charming, auntie, and I love her ! ” 

“ HeRne, you go too fast,” said Madame Caoudal, 
with an endeavour to appear stiff. 

“ Bah I you love her already yourself, Aunt Alice. 
We all do. How can one help it, Kermadec.^” added 
she, addressing the youth as he placed before them 
a table covered with fruit, looking as if it had just 
been collected from a fairy’s garden. 

“Surely, Mademoiselle Helene,” replied Kermadec, 
suddenly drawing himself up in the regulation posi- 
tion of a seaman speaking to his superiors. 

“Confess, Kermadec, that she has supplanted me 
in your affections.” 


224 


The Crystal City. 


“ For that matter, no, mademoiselle. With your 
leave, no one can come before the mother and sister 
of my officer. But, apart from that, there is no 
denying that the young lady of the sea is decidedly 
pleasing.” 

‘‘Helene!” said Madame Caoudal, as soon as 
Kermadec had withdrawn, “how can you speak so 
familiarly to that sailor .? ” 

“ Oh, Aunt Alice 1 he is not a mere sailor, he is 
a friend. And then I am so happy. I am so glad 
we came. See how splendid, and how brilliant, and 
peaceful, too, everything is. It is the kingdom of 
beauty, it is Arcadia, an ideal country! There is 
nothing wicked or ugly ; no social rank, no masters 
and servants. We are shipwrecked on an isolated 
rock ; all Philistine shams have disappeared, and the 
sole superiority here is that of goodness.” 

“What do you say, my child .^” said Madame 
Caoudal, startled, and uneasy, 

“ Oh ! you know very well, dear auntie, but I will 
speak without reserve ! More fortunate than Atlan- 
tis, I have a mother; a real mother. I have never 
had to lock up a secret within me or keep any weight 
on my spirits for want of some one to share them 
with. However insignificant my joys and griefs 
were, I could venture to tell them to you, and find 
an interested listener. It never occurred to me till 
now how much I owe to you. I understand now the 


The First Ring at the Door, 225 

look in that motherless girl’s face when she saw you. 
Poor child ! With all her stately beauty she is worse 
off than the little gipsy children, who are cuffed and 
knocked about from morning till night, but at least 
cared for and kissed by their mothers. Does n’t it 
seem to you that we, who have had loving attention 
heaped upon us all our lives, have a duty to discharge 
to her ; to comfort, console, and love her, and to make 
up to her for the happiness she had a right to, but 
has been deprived of ” 

“ Can you doubt, my child } ” said Madame Caou- 
dal, in a softened tone, but inwardly embarrassed. 

Do you fear for a moment that I should be unwilling 
to concur in your outburst of generous feeling. It 
is all very surprising, very strange, very precipitate ; 
but, at least, you saw me embrace the young girl.” 

“ Oh, yes, you were, as usual, spontaneously kind 
and considerate. But, can’t I see as well as if you 
told me that your better judgment reproaches you 
for showing so much cordiality ? Come, listen to 
your own kind heart, which is really in the right. 
Do not let them have to entreat, to wring from you, 
your consent ; place in Rene’s hand the hand of his 
fiancee — ” 

“ Helene, my child, what are you saying } ” cried 
Madame Caoudal, completely overcome. “ Do you 
know that that would be to destroy my dearest 
hopes And you, you, my chosen daughter — ” 
And tears filled her eyes. 


2 26 The Crystal City, 

“Your daughter I am,” said Helene, taking her in 
her arms, “ and I could not be more your daughter, 
if a hundred Renes were to marry me. But give up, 
dear auntie, a project which would bring no happi- 
ness to any one. Let us face things as they are : 
Rene does not want me, and — excuse my plainness 
— I do not want him ! Besides, we have both of us 
wishes in other directions, — I mean Rene has made 
his choice, and it is irrevocable. Will you, for the 
sake of a chimerical idea, make him unhappy } ” 

“ Make him unhappy } God forbid ! All I wish 
for is to see him happy.” 

“ Then give him the consent he so eagerly longs 
for, or, better still, before he asks it, tell him 
that you take Atlantis to your heart as your 
daughter.? ” 

“Atlantis, my daughter-in-law.? a Nereid, a sea- 
nymph, a siren, a woman dressed like Polymnia.?” 
said Madame Caoudal, trembling. 

“ I can lend her one of my dresses,” said Hdene, 
tranquilly. 

“ What would our friends say, what would the 
neighbours think .? ” 

“That a more beautiful, noble, interesting girl 
never came into the Caoudals’ house, that you have 
found here a daughter-in-law worthy of you. What 
is there, in short, to prevent you .? Atlantis is a 
stranger, it is true. Yet I do not like the word 


The First Ring at the Door. 227 

strange for her, — it does not suit her pure and peace- 
ful face. That she is noble in heart and training, 
you are as fully convinced as I. And don’t you 
think, dear aunt, that if her father has accepted 
Ren6 as a son, he must have made an effort to 
overcome a disinclination quite as strong as anything 
you can feel, to meet their wishes ; and I am con- 
vinced that he has done so. Do not let him surpass 
you in generosity. Aunt Alice ; go to them, they 
deserve it ; and Rene would be so pleased ! ” 

H^Rne followed up her advocacy, and her face 
lighted up with generous animation, all unaware that 
Patrice had just appeared on the scene, and had 
stopped, with a look of admiration on his face. 

‘‘Well, Stephen, what news } ” said Madame Caou- 
dal, who was the first to see him. 

“Nothing decisive so far; but I am not without 
hope, — relatively, be it understood, — for, at his age, 
it would be impossible to expect him to keep alive 
much longer. I have already applied electricity to 
him with good effect. For the present our fair 
hostess insists upon my coming to refresh and rest 
myself with you. To tell the truth,” said he, as the 
two ladies busied themselves finding a seat for him 
and placing food before him, “ I do not really need 
either rest or food. I never felt in better condition. 
What an enchanted place this is, what a delightful 
place to visit ! ” 


228 


The Crystal City. 


“ Has the invalid recovered consciousness ? ” in- 
quired Madame Caoudal. 

“ Not yet, but it cannot be long before he does.” 

“ Do you think it would be an intrusion if I went 
to his room } I should like him to find me there 
when he does, so that I may apologize for our hav- 
ing come, and to pay our respects to him,” said the 
good lady, in a ceremonious manner; ‘^and also,” she 
added, sweetly, I should like to help this young 
girl in the sad trial that is awaiting her, though we 
have, alas ! nothing but sympathy to offer her.” 

Be sure that she will appreciate it,” cried Pa- 
trice, with warmth, “ and she could not be in better 
hands. I have often seen death -beds, but never 
anything like this one. Think of it ! That narrow 
couch where the old man is dying contains the whole 
universe for this young girl, — her sole companion, 
till now. Her behaviour is admirable ; such simple 
dignity and self-control in her grief; and yet how 
heartrending the separation that is in store for 
her!” 

“ Let us go to her,” said Madame Caoudal, 
promptly, since you authorize it ; I should reproach 
myself if I delayed.” 

They all rose and left the salon, the doctor leading 
the way to the sick chamber. Atlantis and Rene 
had resumed their place at the bedside. The old 
man, stretched on the purple couch, still lay as im- 


The First Ring at the Door, 229 

movable as a statue, but there was nothing painful 
in his appearance. Some minutes previous, a faint 
warm tinge had given a little animation to his features. 
He looked so noble thus, that his two visitors were 
arrested by a feeling of reverence, as if they were on 
the threshold of a sanctuary. Atlantis and Rene 
came forward and begged them to be seated ; but 
Patrice, accustomed by his calling to read people’s 
hearts, and always ingenious in doing a kindness, 
felt sure that the mother and son were longing for a 
confidential chat ; and, on the other hand, no one 
could possibly soothe and sustain the heart of Atlan- 
tis with more delicacy than Helene. 

“With your permission,” he said, without further 
preamble, “ I should like for an hour or two to be 
left alone with my patient. Here is a little salon,” 
pointing to an adjoining room, “where you can find 
your mother a comfortable seat, my dear Caoudal, 
and be close at hand to help me if I want you. As 
for you, young ladies, I take the liberty, as a doctor, 
of ordering you to take a walk. I have no need of 
you just now ; but your help, later on, may be neces- 
sary. It is, therefore, your duty to husband your 
strength, and a little change will distract your 
thoughts. I am sure Mademoiselle Atlantis would 
like to show her visitor, these beautiful gardens.” 

“Will you.^” said Helene, with a smile that was 
irresistible. 


The Crystal City, 


230 


“ Oh, yes ! I should like it,” said Atlantis, raising 
her sweet eyes to her new friend’s face. 

The two girls withdrew. They walked along 
for some time in silence, each occupied with her 
own thoughts. Presently Atlantis spoke. 

Hdene,” said she, ‘‘ I want to ask you one thing, 
but I hardly know how to express myself. How is it 
that Rene, having known you, came to choose me } ” 

‘‘I am Rene’s sister,” said Hdene, simply, ‘^and 
consequently yours.” 

“ My sister ! you will be my sister ! Oh ! it is 
too much happiness in one day ! ” 

“ Dear Atlantis,” said Helene, throwing her arm 
round her, do you not see that it is I who am the 
favoured one } ” 

The conversation went on in this strain. Many 
confidences were exchanged, and when, in two hours’ 
time, Rene came to summon them to the sick-room, 
they were friends for life. Patrice wished them 
to be present, as Charicles showed signs of awaking. 
Assembled round the bed, they all waited in silence 
for the change which many signs warned them of. 

All of a sudden, the most unexpected thing hap- 
pened. The bell at the water-gate made itself 
heard, and twice the sound was repeated. Who 
could be ringing and wanting an entrance at such 
a depth beneath the water } 


CHAPTER XIX. 


THE SECOND RING AT THE BELL. 

Must I open the door, sir } ” said Kermadec, at 
length. 

“Open the door You speak as if it were noth- 
ing. Who in the name of all that ’s wonderful 
could want to see us at this time.? Such people 
ought to be left to wait till the Day of Judgment, — 
people who could knock at the door of a dying 
man’s house like this.” 

A third peal, pressing, energetic, cut short his 
words. 

“The determined rascals seem impatient,” ob- 
served Patrice, smiling. “What will our charming 
hostess say to it .? Must we allow these additional 
intruders to invade her dwelling .? ” 

“ Our solitude has come to an end forever,” re- 
plied Atlantis, with dignified sweetness. “Charicles, 
I am sure, would permit these newcomers to enter 
his house. In his place I take it upon me to do so. 
Go, Kermadec, and greet the frightened travellers 
for him ; offer them water for washing, bread and 
salt, and bring them to us when they have removed 
the dust of their journey hither.” 


232 The Crystal City. 

“ Dust ! what a way to speak ! ” thought Ker- 
madec, but turning to obey, however. ‘‘They are 
more likely to be covered with shells and sea-wrack ; 
but we will see.” He went off, swinging along with 
his sailor’s waddle ; and a few minutes elapsed. 
Then exclamations of surprise were heard, and 
suddenly Kermadec threw open the great door, and, 
slipping on one side, with a broad grin on his face, 
he announced in a loud voice : 

“ His highness, the Prince of Monte Cristo, and 
Captain Sacripanti desire to pay their respects to 
the ladies and gentlemen.” 

Rene and Patrice looked much annoyed, and a 
frown darkened Madame Caoudal’s face, as she drew 
her shawl round her shoulders, by way of placing a 
barrier between herself and these tiresome people. 
Helene could not help smiling. As for the daughter 
of Charicles, she placidly awaited the entrance of 
the visitors. They did n’t keep her long waiting. 
The prince, on the best of terms with himself, as 
usual, his nose in the air, his eyes red and promi- 
nent, and his hat under his arm, came forward with 
the step of a conquering hero, and saluted the ladies. 
Behind him, Sacripanti, more redolent of hair -oil 
than ever, — with watch-chain, rings, and scarf-pin 
more in evidence than ever, — described a series of 
bows, which were meant to be obsequious, but were 
only grotesque. 


The Second Ring at the Bell, 233 

Captain Sacripanti was anxious to come with me 
in the character of interpreter,” explained the prince, 
with a majestic wave of the hand. “All ancient and 
modern languages are equally familiar to him, and I 
thought that he would be of considerable service 
to me, in communicating my ideas to the interesting 
family who have fixed upon this place of residence. 
And a propos^ my dear Caoudal, indulge, I beg of 
you, the wish which devours me to be introduced 
to this noble old man and his adorable daughter, 
for I presume that mademoiselle is his daughter 

“Indeed,” said Rene, in anything but the best 
of tempers, “I must beg you to notice that our 
host, Charicles, is not in a condition just at present 
to be introduced to any one. Explain, first of 
all, where you have come from, and how it is we 
see you in these parts. I cannot understand it at 
all ! ” 

“These parts seem to be getting a little com- 
mon and ordinary,” said Kermadec, unceremoniously, 
used to express himself freely. 

“ Eh ? what ? — common ? ” said the prince, seat- 
ing himself at his ease in an ivory chair, which 
creaked and groaned under his weight. “ Know, 
my fine fellow, that any place the Prince of Monte 
Cristo might find himself could hardly be described 
as common ! But, in replying to your question, my 
good Caoudal, I will, as the Irish do, ask you 


The Crystal City. 


234 

another; Have I not already seen mademoiselle? 
Have not my poor eyes already had a glimpse of 
this miracle of grace and beauty on the occasion of 
our memorable descent in the diving-bell, from the 
Cinderella ? ” 

^‘No doubt,” answered Rene, impatiently. 

“ Well, there is no need for me to explain myself 
further. Any one who knows Monte Cristo, knows 
that, having once seen this marvellous beauty, it 
goes without saying that he must see her again.” 
And he looked round upon them all with the live- 
liest satisfaction. 

‘‘You see you are supplanted, my dear HeRne,” 
said Madame Caoudal, in a low tone, “ but I don’t 
think you will break your heart.” 

“ Still that does not explain your presence among 
us,” replied Rene, coldly. 

Ah, ha ! my dear Caoudal, with your usual 
clear-headedness, you have hit the nail on the head. 
The diving-bell being, as no one knows better than 
yourself, inadequate for the purpose> I thought of 
making another, in which to descend alone, since 
you unexpectedly left me. And then, of course, I 
thought that the simplest thing to do was to learn 
your movements, and follow your example. My 
respected friend. Captain Sacripanti, for a certain 
pecuniary consideration, undertook to assist me in 
the matter.” 


The Second Ring at the BelL 235 

“In other words, acted as a spy upon me,” said 
Rene, shortly. 

“Oh! spy is too strong a word, my friend. You 
have not hidden yourself, that I am aware of. 
Sacripanti, having learnt that you were having a 
submarine boat made, and that the public were 
admitted to see it, I had no difficulty in guessing 
what you proposed to do, and, as my princely coffers 
are not yet empty, I simply ordered another boat 
like yours to be made at the same makers, and 
mine was completed a few days after the Titania. 
I embarked with my dear friend, and here I am. I 
hardly expected,” added the prince, gallantly, “to 
find so numerous and charming a company in this 
submarine kingdom.” 

“Any more, certainly, than one would have ex- 
pected to see you,” said Rene, brusquely. “ But, 
Patrice, unless I am mistaken, our venerable host 
appears to be giving some signs of life. Would it 
not be well to renew our efforts to help him ? ” 

“ For which purpose, I need hardly say, I am 
entirely at your service,” said Monte Cristo, coming 
forward in a dignified manner. “The laws of hos- 
pitality are sacred ; I shall not think it derogatory to 
lavish every attention on this venerable old man, 
who, by the way, — if I may judge by appearances, — 
is extremely well born.” 

Rene turned from him, out of all patience, and the 


236 


The Crystal City, 


doctor and he, assisted by Kermadec, betook them- 
selves to the application of electricity interrupted 
by the advent of the prince. While they were 
engrossed with their efforts at the bedside, Monte 
Cristo and Aunt Alice, forgetting the skirmishes 
which were the chief feature of their intercourse 
a short while before, became, for the moment, 
the best friends in the world. Helene and Atlan- 
tis chatted apart, much amused at the mistakes 
made by the Greek girl, in her endeavours to speak 
French, of which Rene had taught her a few 
phrases at brief intervals, during their long talks at 
her father’s bedside. Sacripanti, alone, was unoc- 
cupied ; but, without appearing to trouble himself at 
the ease with which the others grouped themselves, 
he came and went up and down the vast hall, ferret- 
ing and rummaging in corners, apparently finding 
very much to his taste all that he discovered. 

At length, after a further application of elec- 
tricity, Charicles sighed deeply, opened his eyes, 
moved his arms, and made an effort to rise. Rene 
passed his arm under his shoulders, and the old man 
looked round deliberately upon them all. He 
seemed much astonished at the sight of so many 
faces. 

“ Where am I ? ” he murmured. “ Can I be al- 
ready in the land of shadows ? Who are these 
strangers round my couch, or do I still dream ? ” 



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The Second Ring at the BelL 237 

“ I am here, my dear host,” said Rene, pressing 
his hand, affectionately. 

“ Atlantis ! ” added he, raising his voice. 

Atlantis ran as lightly and noiselessly as a shadow, 
and, putting her arms round him, kissed him with 
tears of joy. The old man drew her feebly to his 
heart. 

“Dear, dear child,” he said, “once more I see 
thee again. But tell me, — who are these strangers } 
Where do they come from ? Are they real people, 
or phantoms of my disordered brain ^ When I fell 
asleep, I left thee by my couch with our young 
friend, and now there seem so many of you. Who 
is this noble lady with the stately face and soft 
white hair. She looks like the mother of Hector, 
and her black robes make the paleness of her face 
the more striking. Who is that charming nymph ? 
One might take her for thy sister, child, and yet 
she recalls to me the picture Homer drew of 
Briseis.” 

“ She bears a name which will not sound strange 
to thee, father. She is called Helen,” said Atlantis, 
smiling. “ She is Rene’s sister.” 

“An innocent and pure Helen,” said the old man, 
kindly. “ Come nearer, maiden ; let my failing eyes 
contemplate thy youth and the beauty that adorns 
thy face. Doubtless, this man with the grave face 
and trustworthy look will soon be thy husband ? 


238 The Crystal City, 

May heaven bless your union. He looks like Rene’s 
brother.” 

This unexpected question brought the blood to 
Helene’s cheeks and to those of the doctor, and 
then, without intending any malice, he inquired : 

“And that man of mature age, that remarkable 
looking person, is he also of your race } Thy father, 
perhaps, Rene.^” 

And the old man did not disguise the unfavour- 
able impression produced on him by Monte Cristo. 

This latter seemed to think he had waited long 
enough for an opportunity of coming to the front. 
He understood, by the direction of Charicles’s 
glance, that he was making inquiries about him. 

“ Really, Caoudal, you don’t seem to be in a 
hurry to present me,” he said, in a reproachful tone. 
“ Explain, I beg of you, to this venerable prince, 
that he may treat me quite as an equal ; that my 
race, without flattering itself, can rival the antiquity 
of his, and that, in short, Monte Cristo is of quite as 
good a family.” 

And he drew himself up in his favourite pompous 
manner. 

Rene, in a few words, explained to Charicles all 
that had happened during his long sleep. The old 
man, fortified by a few drops of good old wine which 
the doctor administered, listened with the liveliest 
interest to all the details ; he thought he could 


The Second Ring at the Bell. 239 

vaguely recall, as if a dream, hearing the deafening 
peal at the bell. He thanked Patrice with dignified 
simplicity for the pains he had taken on his behalf, 
complimented Madame Caoudal on the courage she 
had manifested in coming with her daughter, in so 
flattering a manner, that she would have felt over- 
powered if she had been able to understand a word 
of it. With a feeling for the beautiful, common to 
all Greeks, he had not omitted praise of the gracious 
motherly comeliness of the poor lady. He was 
much pleased at recognizing Kermadec, whose open 
face and lithe figure he had always admired. The 
only people whom he did not seem happy to see 
were Monte Cristo and his companion, and when he 
had satisfied himself that the rites of hospitality 
towards them had been observed, troubled himself 
no further about them. But that state of things 
did not at all suit the irrepressible Monte Cristo. 
After an agitated conference with Captain Sacri- 
panti, in the corner of the hall, they both advanced 
to the bedside, Monte Cristo as bland as could be, 
and Sacripanti more like a Maltese valet than ever. 

Prince Charicles,” stammered the Levantine in 
very bad Greek, “ I come in the name of the Prince 
of Monte Cristo, of whose genealogy you have 
doubtless heard, to make a request to you.” 

Speak,” said Charicles, involuntarily knitting his 
brows. 


240 


The Crystal City, 


“The Prince of Monte Cristo is still a bachelor^ 
which cannot fail to surprise you, considering his 
age and the position he occupies in the world,’’ 
began Sacripanti, pompously, while Madame Caou- 
dal made Rene explain to her what it was all about. 

“Why,” continued the interpreter, “has my distin- 
guished friend reached middle life, of which the poet 
says, — what was I saying ? — why has he passed that 
time of life ? Why has his ancient family run the 
risk of becoming extinct, when the first duty of 
a man of illustrious descent is to secure the con- 
tinuity of his house ? Why, in a word, is he still 
unmarried ? ” 

“ It is not for want of asking the hand of every 
young girl he has met, as we very well know,” said 
Madame Caoudal, under her breath. 

Sacripanti, having propounded this problem, 
stopped for a moment, rolling his eyes round to note 
the effect of his words upon the company. Char- 
icles waited, with an expression of courteous resig- 
nation, for the outcome of all this preamble, while 
the prince nodded his head complacently. 

“ I will tell you the reason,” suddenly ejaculated 
Sacripanti. “ It is that the illustrious prince, the 
great lord, and most noble and puissant sovereign of 
the Island of Monte Cristo, has never, till now, 
found the shoe to fit his foot, — I mean a girl of 
sufficiently high birth to be allied to him.” 


The Second Ring at the Bell, 241 

“ Oh ! oh ! said Madame Caoudal, while Helene 
pulled her gently by the sleeve to beg her to keep 
quiet. 

“This girl he has found/’ resumed Sacripanti, 
theatrically indicating Atlantis, who was listening, 
in an unconsciously graceful posture, leaning on 
Hdene’s shoulder. “There she is, noble prince. 
She is your daughter, the only person worthy, by 
reason of her birth, to become the mother of the 
sons of Monte Cristo. I have the honour, all un- 
worthy as I am, of demanding her hand for him.” 

And he swept the ground with his cap, with a 
magnificent bow, while Monte Cristo, as red as a 
tomato, and his eyes nearly falling out of his head, 
advanced towards the astonished Atlantis, to press 
upon her forehead a kiss of betrothal. 

“ Stop ! ” cried Charicles, divining his intention ; 
“ calm thy transports. Prince Monte Cristo, my 
daughter is certainly honoured by thy coming to 
make this request, and we both thank thee ; but her 
young heart is already given away. I, her father, 
have already placed her hand in that of this young 
man, the first of the human race to come to claim it. 
She cannot be thy wife, for she has already promised 
to be Rene’s.” 

“ Ah, ha ! ” said Madame Caoudal, to herself, 
carried away with the longing to put the unfortunate 
Monte Cristo in his proper place, “that will be 


242 


The Crystal City, 


slightly embarrassing for you, my fine gentleman. 
Did any one ever hear the like } A young girl that 
he never set eyes on till twenty minutes ago! and 
less than a month ago he was deeply in love with a 
person who shall be nameless, but who is not very 
far from here. What has become of his senses } ” 

“ My daughter and her young friend have my full 
consent,” continued Charicles. “The only thing 
they have to wait for now is the consent of the 
admirable mother, who, in order to see her son, was 
ready to brave the terrors of the deep. Can we 
doubt that she will give it } What objection could 
there be to my Atlantis } Has she not been richly 
endowed by the gods with youth, beauty, innocence, 
an enlightened and pure mind, and sweetness of 
disposition } Oh, Atlantis, my well - beloved child, 
thou hast been a model daughter ! Thy old father 
will die without regret since he can confide thee to 
this new family, so worthy to receive thee. Come 
near, noble woman, let our hands together join those 
of our children. Charicles, in giving her to you, will 
close his eyes in peace for the eternal sleep ! ” 

He took his daughter’s hand. Rene, Helene, and 
Patrice drew near to Madame Caoudal, to induce her 
to comply. Atlantis, rather frightened, looked at her 
beseechingly ; and one more glance in the direction 
of Monte Cristo, whose face expressed the most 
intense disgust, was sufficient to vanquish Aunt 


The Second Ring at the Bell. 243 

Alice. With a resolute step she advanced to the 
bedside, and, seizing Rene’s hand, joined it with that 
of Atlantis. Whereupon she burst into tears ; but 
Atlantis threw her arms round her neck, and kissed 
her in so filial, respectful, and winning a manner, 
that the last remaining resistance was overcome. 

“ Well,” said the poor mother, returning her kisses, 
‘‘ since it must be so I give up the dream I had cher- 
ished ! It is absurd ; no one ever heard of such 
a marriage ; but there is no gainsaying that she is 
very charming. And when we have dressed her in 
one of your gowns, Hdene (you are about the same 
height), there won’t be a girl in Lorient to come 
anywhere near her for style. This old man, her 
father, seems to be quite right ; she appears to be 
the best little girl in the world, and once we get 
her away from here, and teach and civilize her 
a little — ” 

Civilize ! ” interrupted Ren^ indignantly, “ Why, 
mother, look at her ! She is a goddess, an Homeric 
princess ! Civilize ! ” 

“Well, well, I hear,” said Madame Caoudal, some- 
what piqued. “I agree to accept your Atlantis. You 
have nothing to reproach me with. Agree with me, 
on your part, that she dresses in a rather peculiar 
fashion, and that she would cut a funny figure at the 
Prefecture Marithney 

Rene was about to reply rather sharply to this, but 


244 


The Crystal City, 


Patrice, with a few sensible words, put the belliger- 
ents on better terms with each other ; and Madame 
CaoLidal, having undertaken, of her own accord, to 
examine Atlantis’s progress in French, they seated 
themselves side by side on a pile of cushions. 

The docility and intelligence of her pupil soon 
won Madame Caoudal’s heart, and suggested to her 
the hope that, by and by, her future daughter-in-law 
would be quite presentable. Monte Cristo, greatly 
offended by the snub that had been administered to 
him, kept himself apart. As to Sacripanti, he had 
altogether disappeared for some minutes, as also did 
Kermadec, when, all at once, the door burst open, as 
if by a gust of wind, and the interpreter, with haggard 
face and rumpled hair, appeared in the doorway. 

“ Good heavens ! is the house on fire ? ” said 
Madame Caoudal, starting to her feet, and quite 
forgetting what sort of house she was in. 

What ’s the matter ? What has happened was 
the inquiry on all sides. 

For some moments Captain Sacripanti paused, 
unable to speak. Rolling his terrified eyes, now 
raising his hand to his head as if with the intention 
of tearing his hair, and now pointing his finger in the 
direction from which he had come, he was a picture 
of abject terror, as grotesque as it was alarming. 

“Tell us what is the matter.^” cried Rene, run- 
ning to him, and giving him a good shake. “ He has 
gone mad, I think. Speak, you fool ! ” 


The Second Rmg at the Bell, 245 

“There, there,” said he, at last, in a stifled voice. 
“ The door ; it is open ! ” 

“What door?” 

“ I can’t shut it ! We are prisoners ! Oh, dear ! 
Miserb di mb, to think that I should have lived to 
see this day! It has ruined my career! ” 

“ Prisoners because the door is open ? What a sin- 
gular idea!” said Madame Caoudal, in astonishment. 

“What the devil is he chattering about?” cried 
Patrice. “ Prince, your captain seems to have lost 
his wits ? Can you understand a word he says?” 

“By my faith, not much,” said the prince, looking 
very uneasy; “but he certainly does seem beside 
himself ! ” 

At last, by dint of repeatedly questioning him, 
they succeeded in getting at the cause of his fright. 
While poking about in corners, he came near the 
entrance of the house, and there he found Kermadec 
blustering and swearing with all his might, and, 
indeed, the worthy fellow had good reason to be 
angry ! In leaving their boat, the prince and Sacri- 
panti had wedged it side by side with that of Rene, 
which was placed just inside the entrance in the 
lower chamber. By an unlucky mischance, the heavy 
steel boat was leaning against the side of the Titania 
in such a way as to press against the door ; so much so, 
that the moment it opened it barred the passage. It 
was impossible, owing to the weight of the thing, 


246 


The Crystal City, 


to move it out of the way so as to shut the door ; 
impossible, therefore, to refill the chamber with 
water, and, consequently, to float either boat ! Thus, 
as Sacripanti justly observed, the open door threat- 
ened to keep them prisoners to the end of time ! 

Imagine, reader, the general horror when every- 
body grasped the situation. Every one except Chari- 
cles and his daughter, who could not understand the 
general consternation, flew to the little harbour, to 
find out the real state of affairs. Nothing could be 
more true than the conclusion they came to, that 
unless a miracle could move the door, there was no 
imaginable way by which they could be extricated 
from this deadlock. 

For the first few moments they were completely 
stunned by the thought ; but soon they relieved 
their feelings, each after his own manner. While 
the prince gave himself up to despair as noisy as 
that of his captain, and each abused the other 
roundly for his stupidity in leaving the boat in such 
an awkward position, Madame Caoudal took her 
niece in her arms to protect her to the best of her 
power ; Helene forced herself to hide the fear 
which lay like ice upon her heart ; and Patrice, 
Rene, and Kermadec rose to the occasion, and 
eagerly discussed the means of getting to work to 
set the unlucky boat afloat again. 


CHAPTER XX. 


PRISONERS OF THE SEA. 

Sacripanti’s wild words at last awoke Atlantis’s 
curiosity. She appeared on the scene, and, in a few 
minutes, was made acquainted with the disaster. 
Far from sharing the general agitation, she received 
the announcement with the utmost composure. 

“ What does it matter, after all ? ” said she. 

Since Ren6 has all his people about him, what 
can he desire more, and what can he fear ? Are we 
not perfectly happy and tranquil down here ? Are 
we not all together ? For my part, I should be con- 
tent to remain here forever. We shall continue the 
history of the Atlantes, that is all. Charicles will 
teach you the secrets of his art of cultivating the 
soil and of living in comfort a few thousand feet 
below the sea -level. Phoebus, they tell me, has 
taken seventeen journeys round the world since I 
was born. During most of that time I have lived 
indifferent to outside things. Truth to say, curiosity 
succeeded in awakening in me an ardent desire to 
become acquainted with my kind, and for a while 
disturbed my tranquillity. But now my desire is sat- 


248 


The Crystal City, 


isfied. I have you with me now, and you are as dear 
to me as my own family. Let us all live here, since 
fate has willed it so, — and, believe me, it is not an 
unhappy life ! ” 

“ What sublime simplicity ! ” cried Madame Caou- 
dal, when she had taken in the young girl’s mean- 
ing ; “ this poor child is gone out of her mind ! 
Fancy my being changed into a siren, and ending 
my days at the bottom of this gulf ! Can you imag- 
ine Hdlene condemned to this prison No, indeed! 
we must leave this place, if we have to swim back. 
For my part, I can never forgive the unlucky prince 
for having placed such a barrier in the way of our 
getting out of this hole, which we were so foolish as 
to thrust ourselves into. The situation is horrible, 
it is enough to drive one crazy.” 

“Dear aunt,” said Hdene, grieved at the state of 
mind to which her adopted mother was reduced, 
“there is one consolation in our trouble, as Atlantis 
rightly says, and that is, that we are all together. 
Remember how you felt when we were so anxious 
about Rene’s fate I How different from this I If 
we must remain here a few years — ” 

“ Mercy on us,” cried Madame Caoudal, “how you 
run on ! Y ears I Do you think I have so many 
years to lose } It is very singular, but since I have 
realized that we are prisoners, I feel I cannot breathe. 
Positively it is close here ; don’t you find it so ” 


Prisoners of the Sea. 249 

“ Mere fancy, I assure you, dear madame,” said 
Patrice. “There is plenty of air to breathe, and it 
is of extraordinary purity. The truth is that, with 
so much pressure under our sky, we could hardly 
expect to get it so purified. And the apparatus for 
producing oxygen, which I have just examined, is of 
marvellous perfection.” 

“ Hush, my dear Patrice,” interrupted Aunt Alice, 
driven into a corner ; “don’t talk to me about oxygen 
apparatus, or of any of the odious phantasmagoria 
we are living in, for you make me boil over with 
impatience. Oxygen ! when I think of the pure air 
in my garden ! Ah, my poor garden ! And my 
house ! It will be in a fine state ! I feel morally 
certain that Jeannette will take advantage of my 
absence to let the dust accumulate in all the corners. 
Yesterday was the day for her to have a thorough 
cleaning of the large drawing-room ! I ’ll be bound 
she never touched it, — or perhaps has done it for 
form’s sake, without moving the furniture. These 
servants are all alike ; the best of them are good for 
nothing ! ” 

“Still, Jeannette is worth her weight in gold, I 
have often heard you say. Aunt Alice,” replied He- 
lene, glad to find that household cares had for the 
moment diverted her aunt’s mind from present 
troubles. 

“ Oh, no doubt ! when I am there to superintend ! 


250 


The Crystal City. 


But I ask you what she is likely to do, when I have 
left her for the purpose of gadding about a few 
hundred thousand feet below water ! Fortunately 
no one knows where I am, for, upon my word, I 
should be ashamed for any of my acquaintances to 
hear of it ! Just think what Madame Duthil or 
Madame Calvert would say ! ” 

“ It certainly would have a droll effect on them,” 
cried Helene, with a fresh burst of laughter. “Ma- 
dame Calvert has one deeply rooted idea: * Trav- 
ellers see wonderful things.’ I have heard her say 
so scores of times. If we were to tell her about our 
adventures, she would have some reason to doubt 
the truth of them, I must own. Still we will take 
care never to breathe a word about it, if we are ever 
fortunate enough to get out of this hole. Oh, dear ! 
•every minute seems a century ! Rene, Stephen, 
what is your opinion ? Shall we ever leave this 
place, or shall we not.^ Yes, or no Tell me 
frankly. I had rather know what I have to expect ! ” 
Rene had just reappeared upon the scene, fol- 
lowed by Kermadec. They had both been to look 
at the lower air-lock, which was empty and open. 

“My dear mother,” said Ren6, “I know you are 
courageous enough to prefer the truth to a reas- 
suring lie. Yes, it is possible we may be able to get 
out ; everything depends upon our being able to 
remove the boat that bars our passage. You have, 


Prismiers of the Sea, 251 

none of you, any idea of the formidable weight of 
this steel-plated boat, lying against the Titania^ 
We are five strong men (omitting of course Chari- 
cles) ; you are three women, who by rights should 
together be equal to the strength of one ordinary 
man. Well, with only this force at our disposal, 
it is practically impossible that we could succeed 
in moving the obstacle one inch.” 

“ Well, then, all is over with us, and we are 
buried alive,” said Madame Caoudal. 

“Oh, no ; for, though it is impossible for us, with 
our united strength, to raise the boat, we ought 
to succeed, with the help of the wonderfully power- 
ful mechanical contrivances at our disposal, in this 
marvellous submarine workshop. It is well for us 
that we have fallen among people intellectually 
endowed like the Atlantes ! ” 

“ Very well ! ” said Madame Caoudal. “Let us set 
to work without delay ; and how soon shall we be able 
to get out ? for I declare every minute seems an age.” 

“Alas! dear mother,” said Rene, in a depressed 
tone, “ try to take courage. It grieves me sorely to 
think that it was to seek for me, that you came 
down to this tomb I ” 

“ What do you mean ? ” said she, turning pale. 
“ Will it be long.?” 

“ A long time.” 

“ A week .? A fortnight .? ” 


252 


The Crystal City, 

“ Perhaps months, if not years, my poor mother. 
Think what a long time it must take, and how much 
there will be to do, before we can either set up the 
necessary machinery, or construct a new air-lock 
outside this one. We should have it all to do our- 
selves. Only keeping up our hopes can make our 
work successful.” 

“ Months, if not years ! ” repeated Madame Caou- 
dal, utterly overwhelmed. Ah, me ! I shall never 
see France again. I beg your pardon for showing 
so little courage, but I declare the prospect freezes 
the blood in my veins ! Years ! ” 

“Oh, courage. Aunt Alice!” cried Helene, taking 
her in her arms ; “ perhaps we may succeed sooner 
than that. And then, we are all together, — nothing 
can rob us of that satisfaction.” 

“ Nothing but death, which cannot be long com- 
ing in this tomb,” murmured Madame Caoudal. 
“Don’t you remember, Helene,” added she with 
trembling lips, “the terror I have always had of 
being buried alive Yes, since my early childhood 
it has been a perfect nightmare to me. I feel it 
now, I feel stifled, — look at me 1 ” 

“ I entreat you, mother,” said Rene, well nigh 
desperate, “not to give way to these dismal 
thoughts. Cheer up ! Don’t let us be cast down, 
but work our hardest. It will be the salvation of 


us. 


Prisoners of the Sea, 


253 


But it was in vain that Rene and Patrice tried to 
keep up her courage, she seemed more and more 
demoralized and completely prostrated ; and the 
resolution shown by Hdene had no influence over 
her whatever. Monte Cristo, too, was in an equally 
lamentable condition. He sat, dejected, utterly 
spent, his arms hanging down, his eyes fixed on 
vacancy ; very different from the smart cavalier 
of an hour ago. As for Sacripanti, squatting 
against the unlucky boat, he exhausted himself in 
futile efforts to raise it on its keel by shoving it 
with his shoulder. He seemed to have completely 
lost his head. All at once Atlantis, whose obser- 
vant eyes had followed every change of expression 
on the faces of her companions, left them for a 
moment and flew to her father’s side. She soon 
reappeared at the door of the room, and, raising 
her clear voice, said : 

“ Ren4 Helene! come, all of you, to my father. 
I have told him about your trouble, and he wishes 
to speak to you.” 

Glad of this diversion, Rene took care that his 
mother should go with them to Charicles’s bedside. 
They had to support her, the account of the disaster 
had shocked her so much. They all stood at the 
foot of the bed, round the seat which Atlantis had 
placed for Madame Caoudal. The old man, raised 
up on his pillows, received his guests with a frank 


254 


The Crystal City, 


smile. The dignified calm of his brow, and the 
steady look in his deep - set eyes, made a great 
impression on them. 

“You are looking better, father,” said Rene, invol- 
untarily. “It really looks as if you were going to 
regain your health yet.” 

“Do not deceive thyself, my child,” replied he, 
with serenity. “ My hours are numbered ; the lamp 
is going out for want of oil. This flash of light will 
be the last. But, before I die, I wish to confide to 
you an important secret. Atlantis, pour me out a 
few drops of our ancestors’ cordial. I have much to 
say, and my strength may not hold out.” 

Atlantis quickly obeyed, and, having moistened his 
lips with the cup, he resumed : 

“ I have always thought to carry my secret to the 
grave, confiding it only to my daughter, who, in her 
turn, would confide it to her son, as has been the 
practice in the family through the ages. But in 
view of the distressing accident that has befallen 
these guests who will take my place by my orphan’s 
side, I hesitate no longer to impart it to them. 
Rene is quite right in thinking that it would take 
years to float the submarine boat again, if you 
should ever succeed in doing it. Happily there is 
another way of exit from the domain of Amphitrite. 
It is this. One of my ancestors, the sage Oulyssos, 
had lived all his days in Atlantide after it was sub- 



The Sorrow of Eucharis. 


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Prisoners of the Sea. 


255 


merged. He never had any desire to enjoy life 
outside its walls, convinced, from what he had read, 
that happiness did not exist on earth, and that the 
Atlantes were the only people who retained the 
secret of it. 

When he reached the age of twenty, his father 
married him to the lovely Eucharis. This young 
girl had been afflicted, from her childhood, with a 
strange melancholy. Subject to attacks of cataleptic 
sleep, she always awoke from them with apparent 
reluctance, very sad, and casting a homesick glance 
through the crystal vault of her prison. When she 
married Oulyssos, he succeeded, by pressing her 
with questions, in acquainting himself with the cause 
of her sadness. She was dying with the longing to 
visit the earth, to breathe the pure air, to bask in 
the life-giving rays of the sun. In the crises of her 
sleep, she imagined herself transported thither. She 
lived there like an ordinary mortal, running about in 
the woods, enjoying the sunshine, and gathering the 
fruit and flowers from mother earth. The moments 
when these visions were vivid were the only happy 
ones she had ever known since she heard of the 
existence of the outside world. Every day, she said, 
the walls which surrounded her weighed more 
heavily on her shoulders, like a cloak of lead. Un- 
less Oulyssos wished to see her die before his eyes, 
he must find some means of piercing the blue-green 


256 


The Crystal City. 


shadows, and carry her towards the heavens, towards 
the stars, towards light and liberty. 

“No one knew, at that time, of any means of 
rising to the surface. Deeply touched by the 
despair of his young wife, Oulyssos, who was a clever 
engineer, undertook to dig a tunnel extending to an 
island not far distant, in order to satisfy her desire 
of breathing the air of the living. 

“ Alas ! before the twentieth part of it was con- 
structed, poor, sad, homesick Eucharis had closed 
her eyes forever, without having once seen the blue 
sky, the subject of all her dreams. Oulyssos 
mourned her bitterly. But, even when, in obedience 
to his father’s wishes, he formed new ties with the 
charming Lalage, he never forgot his poor exiled 
Eucharis. Unwilling that another daughter of his 
race should perish like her, for want of seeing the 
earth, he continued to work at his tunnel, and, after 
years of labour, he finished it. That tunnel exists still. 
It is about thirty stadia* in length, and opens out on 
one of the Azores, a small island called Santa Maria, 
they tell me. By this road you can leave this place 
whenever you wish.” 

Madame Caoudal’s joy on hearing this may be 
imagined, not to speak of that of the others, at the 
statement of this reassuring news. They each real- 
ized, when the heavy weight was lifted from their 

*Four or five English miles. 


257 


Pri sorters of the Sea. 

hearts, how very unpleasant it would be to stay for 
an indefinite time under the water. If they had 
listened to Sacripanti, they would have set out at 
once. But Madame Caoudal, notwithstanding her 
impatience, was unwilling to leave the dying man in 
the state he was in. She contented herself by ask- 
ing, with a happy, relieved face, to be told where the 
entrance to the tunnel was. 

‘‘It is not very far off,” said Charicles, still calm 
and smiling ; “ it is behind the original wall of the 
grotto, under a mass of flowers. When you enter 
it, you have only to walk straight ahead, as soon as 
you have lighted the electric light. The floor is 
covered with fine sand, and the walls hung with 
choice creeping plants, for tapestry.^ You will walk, 
without fatigue, the thirty stadia on the road pa- 
tiently excavated by my ancestor, and, at the end of 
it, you will find a crystal door fastened by a gold 
lock, and concealed by a rock at the bottom of a 
cave. This cave is on the shore of Santa Maria. 
Daughter, give me the sandalwood casket which is 
in my coffer ; it holds the key.” 

Atlantis hastened to open the large ivory coffer at 
the head of Charicles’s bed. She drew from it a 
sandalwood box of curious workmanship, and gave 
it to her father. The old man opened the casket, 
took out the key, and, after having shut his eyes for 
a few moments and murmured a few words which 


258 


The Crystal City. 


sounded like an invocation, he handed it to his 
daughter, to whom, he said, it belonged by right, as 
the direct heiress of Oulyssos. Atlantis received it 
in respectful silence, fastened it to the gold chain 
she wore round her neck, and hid it in the loose 
folds of her snowy tunic. Charicles then drew from 
the casket a roll of papyrus, covered with ancient 
characters, and offered it to Rene. 

“This,” said he, “is the complete history of the 
*.■ 

territory of Atlantide, from the most remote times. 
Study it carefully, my son ; thou wilt find in these 
pages fresh motives for venerating the race from 
which thy promised bride has sprung. And now,” 
added he, “ let us come to minor matters. Here is 
something which^ represents in a small space a fabu- 
lous sum ; so my father told me when he left it to 
me. It shall be the marriage portion of my daugh- 
ter. I dare say these pearls, these products of the 
oyster, are of great value in your country. Am I 
right } ” 

So saying, Charicles untied a little leather bag 
scented with a strange and powerful perfume, and 
shook from it a handful of exquisite pearls. They 
were of all shapes and sizes, from that of a pea to 
that of an almond. They were so brilliant, of such 
milky whiteness, and so unmistakably of the first 
water, that there was a general exclamation of admi- 
ration. Atlantis alone regarded them with indiffer- 


Prisoners of the Sea, 


259 


ence, while Madame Caoudal and H^l^ne declared 
they had never seen anything so splendid. Chari- 
cles, much pleased with the admiration they elicited, 
made Atlantis bring him a second casket from the 
ivory coffer, and handed it with dignified grace to his 
guests. It contained quite a collection of antique 
jewelry. Though far from being as valuable as the 
pearls, the jewels were very precious, both intrinsic- 
ally and from the peculiarity of their setting. To 
Madame Caoudal he gave a chain of superb black 
pearls, so fine that a small thimble would almost have 
held them. The chain was made of the same un- 
known metal as the ring given by Atlantis to Rene 
at their first interview, and which had never since 
that day been taken from his finger. Besides this, 
Charicles begged Madame Caoudal's acceptance of 
some long pins for pinning back her veil, made of 
gold, of most remarkable but exquisite workmanship ; 
two clasps for a waist band, and several more clasps 
intended for fastening the peplum on the shoulder, 
as he explained to the good lady, who was inwardly 
horrified at the idea of appearing as a tragic muse. 
Then, turning to Helene with a benevolent smile, 
the old man was pleased to clasp with his own hands 
two heavy gold bracelets round her slender wrists ; 
to hang round her shapely neck a necklace of opals ; 
and, lastly, to place in her beautiful hair some white 
bands embroidered with fine pearls, which gave her 


26 o 


The Crystal City. 


saucy face something of the beauty and grace of the 
ancients. Atlantis laughingly threw over her shoul- 
ders a long tunic of white linen like that which she 
herself wore, clapping her hands when she saw her 
transformed into a Greek, and looking so charming. 
It would indeed have been difficult to imagine a 
prettier picture than the two girls made. Patrice 
and Rene received each a ring, and Kermadec an 
enormous cup of mother-of-pearl, mounted in plati- 
num and standing on a base of red coral. Charicles 
begged his guests to accept in addition a bale of rich 
tapestry. 

“ That young fellow,” said he, pointing to Kerma- 
dec, will make light of carrying it away for you on 
his lusty shoulders.” Then, taking out from the 
inexhaustible casket a second leather bag, much 
larger and heavier than the first, Charicles turned 
towards Patrice and graciously begged him to accept 
the contents, in recognition of his kind and skilful 
attentions to him. Patrice would have declined to 
receive it, but the old man insisted with fatherly 
kindness. How the young doctor’s heart beat when 
Charicles untied the bag, and poured its contents 
out upon the bed ! It was a collection of Greek and 
Phoenician coins, which must be of untold value, 
from their great antiquity. Patrice could not help 
casting a meaning glance at Hdene ! Here was the 
fortune, the want of which was the only obstacle 


Prisoners of the Sea, 


261 


which his pride kept up between her and himself. 
Charicles noted the look, and appeared to understand 
what it meant. 

Do not scruple to accept this offering from thy 
patient, young disciple of ^sculapius,” said he, smil- 
ing. “It will, perhaps, enable you to begin house- 
keeping.” 

“ But your daughter — Ren^ — ” stammered he. 

“ My daughter is provided for beyond her needs,” 
replied Charicles; “and, even if it were not so, can 
you doubt that she also would wish to recognize the 
service you have rendered to her old father } Go 
to ; she is not ungrateful. Besides, she would never 
know the use of this metal, which you people who 
live on the earth value so much. My reason in 
giving it thee is that, where thou livest, such objects 
acquire importance. Accept it, young man, and let 
Charicles thank the gods, before his death, that he 
has been of use to some one.” 

Thus pressed, there was nothing to be done but 
to accept it with gratitude. Madame Caoudal, al- 
ready delighted with the royal dowry conferred upon 
Atlantis, could not conceal the satisfaction of seeing 
Patrice’s share in the gifts. In truth, there was 
some good in being down in this grotto, and the 
excellent woman began to understand her son’s 
taste for travelling in unknown and dangerous 
regions. 


CHAPTER XXL 


THE LAST OF THE ATLANTES. 

Gratified, and proud of her father’s liberality, 
and happy at the approbation she read in her new 
friends’ eyes, Atlantis had watched, with a pleased 
look on her face, the distribution of the sumptuous 
gifts ; but her kind heart told her that something 
yet remained to be done. 

And the others,” said she ; “ they are also our 
guests, father. Are you not going to give them 
some souvenir } ” 

Where are they ? ” said Charicles ; bring them 
to me. If I have neglected them, it is because they 
were out of my sight. I praise thee, daughter,” 
continued the old man, with a look of tender pride, 
praise thee for the thought. Thou art on the 
threshold of a new life — social life — and already 
thou knowest how to show courtesy ; thou seekest 
to spare thy friends any possible slight ; thou even 
thinkest of forestalling their wishes. Go. Thou 
canst boldly face the human family : thou wilt hold 
thy place there. And you, who are about to receive 


The Last of the Atlantes, 263 

her at your hearth and home, receive her with con- 
fidence ; she will do you honour.” 

Meanwhile, Kermadec had gone in search of the 
prince and his companion, the former of whom he 
found rapidly inscribing in a note -book, notes and 
rough outlines, and the latter vaguely ferreting 
about here and there. Charicles addressed them, 
courteously : 

‘‘ I am about to take leave of all my guests,” said 
he to Monte Cristo. Each has received from me 
a proof of affection or esteem. I wish also to 
leave thee a souvenir. Accept this ring. The 
material and the work are of no great merit. Its 
value lies in the history attached to it. It has been 
kept for four and twenty centuries in our family as a 
proof of the inexorable fatality of our lot. Poly- 
crates, an arrogant and cruel prince, had experienced, 
notwithstanding his crimes, an unheard-of success in 
everything he undertook. Fearing that such pros- 
perity might prove fatal to him, and that the gods, 
jealous of the happiness of mortals, might demand a 
severe reckoning from him for his good fortune, he 
resolved to offer them a propitiatory sacrifice, and, 
choosing a ring as a present to Neptune, he threw it 
into the sea, supplicating the god to accept his 
homage. A few days afterwards, on cutting open 
the turbot which his cook had just set before him, 
the prince found the ring in the stomach of the fish.* 


264 


The Crystal City, 


By this, he knew that the gods had refused his offer- 
ing. A little while afterwards he perished, murdered 
by a crowd of his infuriated subjects, who rose in 
revolt against him. One of our family espoused a 
woman of his race, who brought among her jewels to 
her husband the tyrant’s ring. Accept it, Prince of 
Monte Cristo, and, if ever the vanity of success 
darkens thy heart or thy mind, remember the story 
of Polycrates.” 

Paying but scant attention to Charicles’s pero- 
ration, the prince accepted the ring with undisguised 
satisfaction. “Ah, ha! This is a curiosity,” mur- 
mured he. 

Devoured with the wish to astonish the masses on 
his return, by the account of the marvellous things 
he had seen, he had already been a prey to fears 
that he would not be believed ; but here was a 
proof. 

Meanwhile, Charicles had presented Sacripanti 
with another precious jewel, which had brought 
to the squinting eyes of that personage a gleam 
of triumph and pleasure. 

.“Sacripanti, my friend,” said he to himself, “you 
see yourself well out of this business. Oh, blessed 
voyage I Oh, unexpected chance ! I shall give up 
the trade of interpreter, and take a shop. This 
emerald is worth fifty thousand francs if it is worth 
a sou. As soon as ever I get to Paris, I shall invest 


265 


The Last of the Atlantes, 

in Eastern wares and advertise them all round the 
Palais Royal. I shall live like a Turk ; my dream ! 
Oh, unlooked-for piece of luck ! Oh, surprising old 
man ! How he can throw away his goods like this, 
is what surpasses me.” 

Jubilant, and bowing to the ground, the captain 
backed out of the room. Monte Cristo soon fol- 
lowed him ; and, with a last regretful look, Madame 
Caoudal and her niece retired, as also did Patrice, 
to the adjoining room, fearing that their prolonged 
stay might fatigue the dying man, and wishing, in 
any case, to leave him to say his last farewell to his 
daughter. There was a long interval, during which 
Charicles said nothing. He was not sleeping ; his 
eyes showed that he was still in the full possession 
of all his faculties. He was deep in meditation, and, 
respecting his silence, Atlantis and Rene refrained 
from breaking it by sign or movement. 

think,” he said, at last, ‘‘that I have forgotten 
nothing. My instructions about the tunnel have 
been quite understood ? ” 

“Perfectly,” said Rend. 

“You will leave an hour after my death, which 
cannot now be long delayed.” 

“We will obey you.” 

“Father,” said Atlantis, beseechingly, “may I ask 
thee something ? ” 

“ Speak, my daughter.” 


266 


The Crystal City, 


“ Why must thou stay here ? Why not come 
with us ? Would it not be better for us to carry 
thee with us. Perhaps the air of the upper world 
would give life to thee ! ” 

“No, my child,” said Charicles ; “my journey is 
accomplished and must end here. I wish to sleep 
my last sleep here, and to be buried under the 
waters of this sea where I have lived my calm and 
simple life. I do not reprove thee for thy proposal, 
but I cannot agree to it. My desire is that one 
hour after my death — one hour, not later — you 
leave by the way I have pointed out. Half way 
through, you will find a room where you can rest 
and take a light repast before continuing your route. 
Once arrived at the crystal door, you will open it 
easily; and at once — understand me — you will 
emerge at once into the light of day, without wait- 
ing to see what will happen in the tunnel.” 

As he said these words an enigmatical smile 
spread itself over his emaciated features ; which 
soon, however, regained their usual dignified serenity. 
“All is said!” added he. “I shall speak no more. 
Atlantis, go, and take one last look at the dwelling 
where thou wast born, and which hath sheltered thy 
infancy and developed thy youthful graces. Go to 
the garden where we have taken our daily walks 
together; take with thee thy newly found sister — 
herself a sister of the Graces — gather with a pious 


The Last of the Atlantes, 267 

hand the flowers with which thou wilt lovingly deck 
my funeral couch. Once more I bless thee. Leave 
me to commune with myself. I will say no more.” 

Strictly observant of her father’s commands, and 
having pressed a kiss upon his forehead, Atlantis 
turned to go into the garden, requesting Helene to 
assist her in the mournful and gracious task ; and 
Helene, gratified at having been named in so solemn 
a moment, hastened at once to help her to the best 
of her ability to gather the flowers. Rene, Patrice, 
Madame Caoudal and Kermadec busied themselves 
with preparations for their departure ; taking care 
that some one should be near enough to the dying 
man’s bedside to hear him breathe, while respecting 
the solitude in which it pleased him to enfold his last 
hour. Before going into the garden, the young girls, 
as Charicles had desired, began by saying good-by 
to the apartments of the palace in turn. And this 
pious pilgrimage was an enchantment to Helene. 

“What!” she said to herself, as Atlantis took her 
to her own room — exquisite casket, fit for such a 
pearl — furnished with mother-of-pearl and trans- 
parent draperies ; then to the other parts of the 
sumptuous dwelling, workrooms, rooms for resting, 
dining-rooms, and rooms for pure ornament ; then to 
servants’ apartments, kitchens, various oflices, baths, 
and different workshops and studios. “What!” she 
repeated, completely dazzled, “talk of civilizing these 


268 


The Crystal City. 


refined people ! Have we anything to teach them ? 
It is we who need to learn of them. It is to be 
feared that Atlantis will find the arrangement of our 
houses rudimentary ! Happily, Aunt Alice is a nota- 
ble housewife, and propriety and good order reign 
at ‘The Poplars,’ and we have no need to blush for 
our offices and utensils. But for that I should feel 
positively humiliated at being shown all this mag- 
nificence. But enough of these thoughts of com- 
monplace rivalry ! Is it likely that Atlantis, this 
living poem, will amuse herself with disparaging any- 
thing she finds under our roof.^ Dear child, she 
will see, I am sure, only the beautiful side of every- 
thing, and all her judgments will be indulgent and 
gentle, like herself ! ” 

Arrived at this point in her reflections. Mademois- 
elle Rieux threw her arms round the neck of her 
companion, who certainly had not the least idea of 
the motive of this sudden display of tenderness, but 
who accepted her caress without troubling to find 
out the reason, and returned it with interest. The 
girls had arrived at a peristyle of red marble that 
Helene had not seen before, and which opened 
out upon Atlantis’s own garden. Helene stopped, 
entranced. This surpassed all the glory and splen- 
dour she had yet seen. The balmy retreat, which 
had belonged to the mother and grandmother of 
Atlantis, and before them to a series of ancestresses. 


The Last of the Atlantes. 269 

this privileged enclosure was, in truth, an enchanted 
garden. 

Facing the entrance of the portico, a wide avenue 
of giant rose-trees opened out, and led in the dis- 
tance to an endless variety of flowering shrubs. On 
the lawns were baskets of roses. The side alleys 
led to masses of roses. Borders, beds, grottoes, 
shrubberies, rustic seats, shady nooks, everywhere 
were planted roses, everything was enveloped, sub- 
merged in roses ; but not without arrangement of 
colour. From a blush rose to a deep purplish red, 
from deep velvety carnation to the purest white 
moss-rose, the eye was conducted by insensible de- 
grees. No harsh or careless combination offe.nded 
the eye; and, if by an ingenious contrast, now and 
then, at the root of a flaming bush of briar roses a 
tea-rose bent its pale head, one could discern, under 
this capricious arrangement, the hand of an artist or 
a poet. 

“Let us sit here,” said Atlantis. “This was my 
mother’s garden. Very often, Charicles has told me, 
she came here in a melancholy mood, as if smitten 
with a presentiment of her early death.” 

“ You lost her, then, when you were quite little } ” 
inquired Helene, timidly. 

“ I never knew her.” 

“ Nor I,” said Helene, with moistening eyes ; “ I 
never knew my mother, and, less happy than you. 


The Crystal City. 


270 

Atlantis, I lost my father also when I was in my 
cradle. But Aunt Alice has made up to me for all 
I have lost. She will also be a mother to you. She 
is so good and kind ! ” 

“Yes,” said the Greek girl, “I feel strongly at- 
tracted to her. But we must get to work. Let us 
gather the flowers out of this garden to cover my 
father’s funeral couch ; that is his expressed desire.” 

They were for a long time occupied in rambling 
about, looking for the finest roses they could find, 
cutting with golden scissors the choice ones, and 
leaving any that had any defect. Soon the armfuls 
they gathered were more than they could hold. 
They laid them down on a mossy bank, and called 
Rene and Patrice to carry away the harvest. 

“ It is time,” said Patrice to Helene in a low 
voice ; “ his end is drawing very near. It is impos- 
sible to imagine a more august or peaceful death.” 

“ Courage, dear Atlantis,” said Rene to his be-' 
trothed. “ A cruel separation awaits you ; but do 
not forget that I share all your grief. I wish I 
could bear it all for you.” 

“ I will be courageous, I promise you,” said she, 
with straightforward simplicity. “You have seen 
me. Rend, in these trying hours, so full of poignant 
grief, give way sometimes to weakness. I have 
trembled and wept ; that has displeased my father, 
and he has gently reproved me. I know now what 


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The Last of the Atlantes, 271 

would please him. I will not disturb his last hour 
with noisy grief.” 

They had come to the side of the dying man. 
The flowers were placed on a low table, near. With- 
out loss of time Atlantis began to dispose them 
round him with a light hand, Helene handing them 
to her. From time to time she stopped to look at 
the face of the demi-god in its repose ; the only face 
she had known for so long a time, and that she was 
about to lose forever. Then a tear would fall from 
her eyes, like a drop of dew, into the heart of one of 
the roses ; but no contraction of her features marred 
their beauty ; no sob disturbed the stillness. Her 
behaviour was all that Charicles had wished. Soon, 
the funeral preparations were complete. When 
Helene had handed her the last flower, she retired 
to the place where Madame Caoudal was standing, 
her face buried in her handkerchief, quietly weeping. 
Rene came forward to Atlantis, who was standing at 
Charicles’s right hand ; the doctor took the dying 
man’s hand to feel the last feeble pulsations. Sud- 
denly, Charicles opened his eyes ; met those of 
Atlantis intently fixed on him ; one peaceful smile, 
and the eyelids drooped. 

“ All is over ! ” said the doctor, in a stifled voice. 

Some minutes of deep and solemn silence fol- 
lowed ; each felt the same mysterious awe in the 
presence of the relentless visitor. Atlantis was the 


272 


The Crystal City. 


first to shake off the feeling of stupor. Disengag- 
ing her hand from that of Rene’s, who manifested 
his pity by a fraternal pressure, she left the side 
of the couch, and, taking down the golden harp, she 
came and took up her place once more, opposite to 
her father’s resting - place. For an instant she 
waited with bowed head, in a pose of inexpressible 
grace, gathering her thoughts together. Then her 
fingers wandered over the strings, drawing from 
them a few hesitating sounds. At last she raised 
her head, and her pure voice uttered musical phrases 
now definite and clear. In simple words she sang 
of the glory and the great doings of the departed 
members of her house ; she recounted the long 
prosperity of the Atlantes, then of the scourge that 
had fallen on them ; of her mother, gathered in the 
flower of her age ; of her deserted cradle, and of the 
old man and the child alone remaining of the illus- 
trious race. Then she told the story of Charicles, 
of his knowledge, virtue, and power, and lastly of his 
death, as august and noble as his life. 

Behold, now he has departed! His spirit already 
wanders on the mysterious border-land of the shades. 
Already, doubtless, his ancestors have received and 
saluted him, the last scion of their race. For her, 
the flower, cut off from this ancient tree, another 
destiny is in store. Henceforth she will observe 
other rites, will obey other laws, will have another 


The Last of the Atlantes, 273 

country. But she accepts them joyfully, for she 
follows her spouse, by her father’s command. 

All this was sung in a sweet, low voice, by the 
young Melpomene ; it was nothing resembling the 
music of the future, it was that of the past. She 
struck a final chord and ceased, letting the lyre 
fall from her. The last duties had been fulfilled. 
Charicles had been obeyed to the letter. The hour 
had come to leave. Rene and Patrice exchanged 
a look which meant that the departure had better 
be hastened. Lost in contemplation, Atlantis seemed 
to see nothing of what was going on around her. 
Rene took the lyre gently from her, hung it on the 
wall, and, taking her to the bedside, allowed her to 
kiss the white hand. Then he authoritatively took 
her hand in his own and turned towards the point 
from which they were to start. She obeyed him un- 
hesitatingly. Exactly one hour after Charicles had 
breathed his last sigh, the travellers entered the 
tunnel. 


CHAPTER XXII. 


THE RETURN TO THE LIGHT OF DAY. 

CONCLUSION. 

The floor of the tunnel was, as Charicles had 
said, covered with fine yellow sand, as soft as velvet 
to the feet. The walls, as high as the path was 
broad, were tapestried with creeping plants, which 
Helene would fain have stopped to admire, but 
Rene and Patrice, vaguely anxious to get safely 
to the entrance of the cave at the other end, allowed 
no one to loiter for a minute. According to the 
instructions they had received, they turned on the 
electric light, which lit up the passage as far as 
the eye could see. They pursued their way in 
silence, at first. Each felt under the influence of 
the scene through which he had passed. They 
were haunted by the picture of the old man lying 
forever on his solitary purple couch. 

Atlantis walked along with the light step of a 
young goddess, mute, and with a cloud of sadness 
on her sweet face ; her large eyes, oblivious of all 
around her, seemed fixed on a vision called up by 
her own thoughts. Doubtless, they went back to 
her past life, forever closed to her. She saw once 



In the Tunnel 












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The Return to the Light of Day. 275 

more the austere but tender parent who had guided 
her, step by step, 'and whom she had just left for- 
ever. On the threshold of her new life, she shrank, 
for a moment, from the strangeness of it all, and bid 
a long farewell to all that she had known and loved. 
Her innocent heart registered a vow to gain the 
affection of her new kin, to become, indeed, Helene’s 
sister and Madame Caoudal’s daughter. 

Helene, respecting her silent grief, walked by her 
side, with their arms interlaced. They understood 
each other without the need of words ; and when 
the tears, which had slowly gathered in Atlantis’s 
eyes, fell and obscured her view, Helene, by a ten- 
der pressure of her arm, made her feel that, if she 
had lost a father, she had gained a sister. Atlantis 
then turned to her with a loving look, and every 
mute caress increased the affection which, by the 
happy privilege of their age, they had formed for 
one another at first sight. 

Madame Caoudal followed them, between Patrice 
and Ren6, and behind them came Monte Cristo 
majestically, escorted by Sacripanti. 

Kermadec brought up the rear, whistling softly a 
Breton air, and thinking what a long story he should 
have to tell his countrymen when he found himself 
once more on the deck of the vessel. They pro- 
ceeded thus, without stopping, and almost in silence, 
for about two hours, when Patrice concluded that 


276 


The Crystal City, 


they must have got half way through. He was 
confirmed in his conjecture by observing that the 
arched roof, rising abruptly to a higher level, formed 
a sort of rotunda in which the moss-covered walls 
surrounded a stone table. It looked like the place 
for a halt. Madame Caoudal, notwithstanding her 
ardent desire to see the sunshine again, began to 
show signs of fatigue. They decided, therefore, to 
allow themselves a short time for rest, so that they 
might finish their journey at a quicker pace. iCer- 
madec, in a twinkling, had spread the softest of the 
tapestries he carried on the stone seats round the 
table, and begged the ladies to be seated. 

Madame Caoudal did not need a second invita- 
tion to comply ; she was even seen — a rare thing 
with her — to lean back against the wall. For 
Madame Caoudal had been brought up by a strict 
mother, and was in the habit of holding herself as 
straight as the letter / when she sat. She often 
deplored the self - indulgent and bad manners of 
modern times. Nothing, she thought, could be 
worse form than for a young man or a young woman 
calmly to seat himself or herself in an easy chair. 
And she had a perfect horror of padded furniture ; 
too comfortable, in her opinion, and she often said, 
drawing up her slight figure, that if her mother and 
grandmother, who both lived to be over eighty, had 
“kept their shape ’’ to the last, it was owing to their 


The Return to the Light of Day, 277 

way of carrying themselves. Truth to say, the 
unconscious dignity of Atlantis’s bearing had from 
the first prejudiced her in her favour, and it is cer- 
tain that a sea-nymph who had not carried her head 
well, or had been the unfortunate possessor of round 
shoulders, or had received her visitor in an uncere- 
monious manner, would have had a small chance of 
finding favour with her. 

“We are not badly off here,” said Madame Caou- 
dal, not concealing her satisfaction ; “ but I confess 
I begin to feel hungry. I really think I could eat 
something, though I consider it a bad habit to eat 
between meals.” 

“One minute,” said Kermadec, briskly. “You 
don’t catch my father’s son setting out on a journey 
without provisions. The storeroom down there was 
well provided with them, and see, I have profited by 
that.” 

So saying, Kermadec opened a large linen bag 
which he carried in his belt, and which he had filled 
as full as it could hold with some mysterious con- 
tents, all knobs and lumps. He drew from it, one 
after another, three bottles of rare old wine, small 
rolls of bread of a curious shape, dried sweets, dried 
fruit, and several tablets of cocoa, which the Atlan- 
tes, it appeared, had discovered long before the 
Spaniards. 

“By my faith!” said that thoughtful and very 


278 The Crystal City. 

useful person, I have brought the best that I could 
find.” 

“And the best is excellent,” said Madame Caou- 
dal, tasting some exquisite fruit, resembling a peach. 
“Really, one wouldn’t object to being a vegetarian 
if one could always get such food as this.” 

“ On my honour, madame, saving your honour’s 
presence, I would much sooner have a simple beef- 
steak,” said Kermadec ; “but this is not to be de- 
spised, all the same.” 

“ Come, come ; you prefer it to salt beef,” said 
Rene, knowing the horror sailors have of the pre- 
served beef, which is the chief part of their daily 
rations. 

“Salt beef.^ pah! I want none of that,” said Ker- 
madec, in disgust. “ Well, yes, I prefer this.” 

And a roll covered with a thick layer of preserved 
fruit disappeared between his lips in proof of his 
words. H 61 ene succeeded in persuading Atlantis, 
though as a rule she drank nothing but water, to sip 
a little wine, and she delicately peeled a magnificent 
plum of a velvety blue-black kind ; but, abstemious 
as a little bird, she had quickly finished her meal. 
Hdene also was just rising from hers, and, seeing 
her unoccupied, Patrice rose, and, turning towards 
the passage through the tunnel, said : 

“Hdene, come and look at this curious plant.” 

Helene meekly followed him. Madame Caoudal 


The Return to the Light of Day. 279 

and Rene were engrossed with Atlantis, whom they 
were trying to cheer. Monte Cristo, Sacripanti, and 
Kermadec were “making short work," as the sailor 
expressed it, of the three bottles of wine, which were 
quickly emptied. Nobody took any notice of them. 

“ Rene has become engaged, at last," said Patrice, 
as soon as they were out of hearing. “ Lucky 
fellow ! " 

“ Are you jealous .^" said Mademoiselle Rieux, not 
without a touch of malice. “ Poor Stephen ! Have 
you had views with respect to Atlantis, like our deaf 
prince.^ " 

“ With respect to Atlantis } Do you believe that 
for a moment, Helene ? " 

“How do I know.!*" said the young girl, with 
a laugh to hide her embarrassment. “ These plants 
are indeed very curious. Could n’t we take some 
specimens away with us ? " 

“ Never mind the plants, H61ene," said Patrice, 
taking both her hands in his. “ It was not for that 
I brought you here." 

“Why, then, in heaven’s name.!*" 

“ To ask you a question on which the happiness 
of my life depends. To know whether it will be 
better for me to remain buried down here than to 
return to the land of the living, if I am to vegetate 
there without you ! To ask you, Helene, if you can 
love me well enough to be my wife." 


28 o 


The Crystal City, 


Hdene raised her eyes to his with a serious, 
trustful look. “Yes, Stephen,” replied she, simply. 
“I will be your wife when you wish it.” 

And Patrice, deeply moved, his eyes wet with 
tears, pressed her hands to his lips. 

“ I have only one thing to reproach you with,” 
continued she, smiling, “ and that is to have waited 
for Charicles to enable you to speak to me. Oh, 
for shame ! for shame ! Do you really believe that 
I needed his collection of antique coins to accept 
you gladly } ” 

“ You, certainly not ! ” cried the young doctor, 
with fervour. “ Still, I should not have ventured to 
speak, but for that. Now that the dear old man 
has broken down every obstacle, — forgive me, but 
without suitable means of providing for you, I 
should not have asked you.” 

“ Do you know, you are by no means flattering,” 
said the girl, in a tone of banter. “ I must be either 
very ugly or very disagreeable for you to think that 
my miserable fortune could stand in the way.” 

“You foolish girl! Ah! if I could have ruined 
you at a blow ! reduced you to beggary, — what a 
dear little beggar you would have been ! ” 

“Thank you, for your kind wishes,” cried Helene, 
with a hearty laugh. “ Then, if you had been rich, 
and I poor, you would not have despised me ” 

“ Do not say such a thing, even in joke.” 


The Return to the Light of Day. 281 

“Why, then, do you give me credit for senti- 
ments more vile than your own ? ” cried she, trium- 
phantly. “ No, no, I must scold you. I have 
fretted in silence long enough ! If you only knew 
the number of times I have almost told you so! I 
see now that — I was not absolutely odious to you — 
but, because of that abominable money, you thought 
it necessary to flyaway from me — yes, it is true — 
to run away from me! No ; mundane conventionali- 
ties now and then are too stupid for anything ! ” 
“Listen, Helene,” interrupted Patrice, “not so 
stupid, after all ! That I, a man in the prime of 
life, a hundred times better equipped, a hundred 
better instructed than you, you poor little thing, — ” 

“ Thanks again, sir ! ” replied H^l^ne, laughing, 
and making a little courtesy. 

“ Yes, I mean what I say, and you know what I 
mean ! That I, I say, should accept a place as 
invited guest in your house, and have allowed you 
to provide for me out of your abundance, would have 
been a state of things entirely out of the question. 
You must admit that ! ” 

“ All I know is, that I approve of you just as you 
are,” confessed Hdlene, with a sweet look. “But, 
indeed, you have often made me very angry ! ” 

“ Ren6, Ren6, what can have become of your 
cousin.?” they heard Madame Caoudal exclaim in 
alarm. 


282 


The Crystal City. 


Not far off, mother; Patrice is taking care of 
her,” replied he, ingenuously. 

Indeed, I have acted very inconsiderately,” said 
Patrice. “ Let us go and beg of your aunt to accept 
me as a nephew,” and he took Helene’s hand and 
placed it proudly on his arm. 

Do you think,” continued he, in a low voice, 
“that but for Charicles I could have offered myself 
to you with such a light heart } I know that in 
your opinion these considerations are of no impor- 
tance. But all the same, I feel deeply grateful, 
and shall never cease to feel grateful, to the fine old 
patriarch for the help he gave me ! ” 

It was enough to see Helene coming towards her, 
leaning on Patrice’s arm, and to note the expression 
on their faces, for Madame Caoudal to guess what 
had happened. And, after all, as she had been com- 
pelled to relinquish the dream she had so long 
cherished of uniting her son to her adopted daughter, 
what better husband could she desire for Helene, 
provided for as Patrice would be henceforth ? In a 
few rapid words all was arranged, and with the best 
grace in the world, though suppressing the ghost 
of a sigh, Madame Caoudal embraced the happy 
lovers. 

Meanwhile, as these interesting affairs were 
arranging themselves, a dispute had arisen between 
Monte Cristo, Sacripanti and Kermadec. Warmed 


The Return to the Light of Day, 283 

with the wine he had taken, the prince forgot .all 
about his matrimonial projects ; and Sacripanti, the 
terror he had lately undergone. Both were inspired 
with the brilliant idea of returning to take possession 
of the treasures accumulated in the palace they had 
left behind them, now that they had discovered such 
an easy exit from it. Whereat, Kermadec, bringing 
his fist down with a thump on the table, opposed it 
with an absolute veto. 

“ What has it to do with you, you fool ? ” cried 
Monte Cristo, when he had recovered from his sur- 
prise at being thwarted. “ You have only to come 
back with us and your fortune will be made.” 

No, your highness, asking your pardon, you will 
do no such thing,” reiterated Kermadec, with the 
obstinacy of his race. 

And why, may I ask, if you please ^ ” 

“ Because no one has any right to go back there 
without my officer’s permission, and he will not give 
it.” 

“ I should very much like to know what right he 
has over the grotto.” 

He has the right of having discovered it, and of 
espousing the heiress of the old gentleman.” 

“ But if he were to go there, himself } ” 

“ Monsieur Rene would never go back there, see- 
ing that the deceased gentleman, with almost his 
last breath, said that he wished to sleep quietly there 


284 


The Crystal City, 


till the day of judgment. And it does n’t do to 
trifle with the wishes of the dead, my good gentle- 
man, prince or no prince.” 

Monte Cristo nearly choked with rage ; then, 
shrugging his shoulder, wrathfully : 

‘‘ And who is to prevent my going, if I choose ^ ” 
cried he, his eyes almost starting out of his head. 

“ I, Yvon Kermadec, forbid it,” resolutely replied 
the young sailor. ‘‘You are not my officer, sir 
prince, and I would break your head open sooner 
than let you go back without Monsieur Rene’s 
consent.” 

In vain the prince and Sacripanti, indignant at 
this unexpected assumption of authority, shouted 
and swore at the Breton. He stuck to his point, 
and nothing could shake him. The quarrel was 
becoming serious, when Ren6 gave the order to 
prepare to resume their journey. This created a 
diversion. They all set forward. Kermadec, block- 
ing up the path behind Monte Cristo, kept his eye 
upon him lest he should attempt to put his sac- 
rilegious design into execution. The prince would 
fain have rebelled against the order to march, but 
Kermadec chose not to understand him, and the 
journey was continued, notwithstanding his noisy 
protestations. 

In due time, after an hour or so’s march, they 
arrived at the crystal door. They caught sight of it 


The Return to the Light of Day. 285 

at some little distance. Brilliantly illuminated with 
electric light, it looked like a fairy entrance to a 
new world. Atlantis, excited and impressed, stopped 
and clasped her hands, at the sight of the sparkling 
barrier which had so long separated her from the 
liberty she had dreamed of. Then she sprang for- 
ward as lightly as Diana might have done, and was 
the first to reach it. Standing, with the gold key in 
her hand, her face turned towards her companions, 
she seemed, in her white drapery, like some young 
sister of the wingless conquerors, created by the 
chisel of her great Greek ancestors. 

When they had all overtaken her, she gave one 
long look back on the path by which she had 
come, clasping her hands with the inspired gesture 
of a priestess. Her face pale, her eyes with a 
thoughtful look in them, she raised her clear 
voice, which resounded and then died away in the 
distance. 

Charicles, Atlantide, farewell ! ” she repeated 
three times. 

She waited till the echo of her voice was lost 
in the vaulted roof ; then turning resolutely, she 
placed the key in the lock, turned it, and opened the 
great door. No sooner had she done so, than a tre- 
mendous noise resounded from the bowels of the 
earth, at a considerable distance behind the travel- 
lers. For an instant they paused, confounded. 


286 The Crystal City. 

utterly unable to understand what could. have hap- 
pened. 

Five minutes had hardly elapsed, when a noise 
like a cataract was heard, and they saw great waves 
let loose, and roaring through the tunnel, which died 
down at their feet, covering them with foam. They 
had only time to hurry out of the cave ; the sea, as 
if pursuing them, rushed out behind them, destroy- 
ing forever the submarine passage. They under- 
stood then what Charicles had done. Determined 
to bury Atlantide with himself, he had contrived a 
mechanical arrangement which should be set in 
motion by the opening of the door. Forever, there- 
fore, he would rest in peace on his funeral couch. 
The sea, so long kept at bay by human will alone, 
had resumed its power. The waters had destroyed 
the birthplace of Atlantis, and seaweed would cover 
forever the fabulous treasures heaped up by her 
ancestors. The travellers, stricken dumb by sur- 
prise and awe, stood at the entrance of the cave, 
listening to the huge waves as they broke against 
the rocky walls of the tunnel. 

They stood thus for a long time. Kermadec was 
the first to speak. 

At any rate, prince, you will not go back now,” 
said he, in a tone of triumph. 

Monte Cristo started angrily forward, indignant at 
having been baffled by the sailor, forgetting the 


The Return to the Light of Day. 287 

fright he had just had of being swept away alto- 
gether. Helene, throwing her arm around Atlantis’s 
waist, drew her out of the cave, for the poor girl 
seemed turned to stone, and, the rest following in 
their steps, all emerged into the open air. 

A narrow sandy beach, shelving gently towards the 
sea, reflecting the last rays of the setting sun, was 
spread out before them. Behind them, dark rocks 
that had so long concealed the secret door reared 
themselves, forming at the sea-front a sort of portico 
to a mysterious temple. To right and left of them 
the rocks sloped gradually, opening up to their view 
smiling stretches of level land. A promontory, 
boldly jutting out into the sea, bore on its surface 
trees of a hundred years’ growth, whose branches, 
covered with creeping plants, bathed themselves in 
the transparent waters. Thousands of birds were 
chanting, with full throats, their vespers to the set- 
ting sun. It was a calm and peaceful scene, and 
inspired them with fresh courage and happiness. 

Atlantis, supported by Hdene, and recovering 
from her astonishment, shaded her eyes with her 
hand and looked around her with a long, steady gaze. 

“At last, at last,” murmured she, “I see thee, O 
sun ! Earth, I belong to thee henceforth ! The 
treacherous sea cannot take possession of me 
again ! ” 

She fell on her knees with the unconscious and 


288 


The Crystal City, 


dignified grace which characterized all her move- 
ments, and reverently kissed the soil. Madame 
Caoudal was somewhat shocked at this action. 
But everything the Greek girl did was so natural, 
and at the same time so noble, that no one dreamed 
of blaming her. Kermadec, moreover, distracted 
their attention from her. 

“The foreign young lady is quite right,” said he, 
“ and we ought to kiss our old mother earth, for we 
were very near losing the chance of seeing her 
again.” And, throwing himself on his knees, he 
took off his cap and piously gave the shore a sound- 
ing kiss. 

“Come,” said Patrice, shaking himself together 
and rousing the others from the reverie into which 
they had fallen, “ we must look out for some lodging 
where we can get shelter, until we can find some 
means of returning home again.” 

The travellers, leaving the rocks, took their way 
across the meadows that bordered the sea. They 
had not gone very far before they caught sight of 
the low roofs of a fishing village on the beach. 
Patrice and Rene went on ahead, as scouts, and 
soon came back to take the whole of the party to 
the best house they could find in the neighbourhood, 
and which had been placed at their disposal by its 
owners. One may imagine Atlantis’s surprise on 
seeing for the first time — she who had lived all her 


The Return to the Light of Day. 289 

days like a princess in a fairy tale — the wonders of 
civilization to be found in the humble cottage of 
a fisherman of the Azores ! when she had to use, 
instead of gold and silver and mother-of-pearl ves- 
sels, which she had always used for the commonest 
purposes, the rude, primitive, half-baked pottery she 
now saw for the first time ! But, in her delight at 
being among human beings, — children, young girls, 
old men, and — oh, joy! — a cow and a large watch- 
dog, — she forget everything else. 

The fishermen listened, all in good faith, to the 
account the travellers gave of themselves, which was 
true enough, — that they had lost their submarine 
vessel in the sea. In reply they stated that an 
American packet was expected to pass, in the course 
of a week, by which they could return to their own 
country. 

The week passed very quickly. Madame Caou- 
dal’s first care was to manufacture from the coarse 
blue serge, worn by the wives and daughters of the 
fisher-folk, a ^‘civilized” costume for Atlantis. And, 
in truth, when she appeared smiling, but a little em- 
barrassed in her new attire, with her long plain skirt, 
her puffed sleeves, and a large straw hat plaited by 
Hdene, her small feet shod in the Sunday shoes of 
a young girl of the village, there was a general cry 
of admiration, she looked so charming. 

Madame Caoudal smiled, proud of her work. As 


2 go 


The Crystal City, 


for Helene, she sighed as she folded up the beautiful 
vestments lately worn by her friend. 

I shall carry them away with me,” said she, 
“and take care of them always. Yes, she looks 
sweet in her new costume, but it is only the beauty 
of an ordinary pretty girl, whilst formerly it was that 
of a goddess ! ” 

“ Bah ! ” retorted Madame Caoudal, “ she is much 
better as she is ; she would have taken cold the very 
first thing, with hands and feet bare like that. And 
then, think of her going on board an American 
steamer in that ‘get-up.’ Goddesses are all very 
pretty under the water, but, for my part, I prefer to 
see a young girl properly dressed.” 

The travellers returned to France, and two 
months afterwards a double marriage was cele- 
brated in Paris, in order to avoid the indiscreet 
curiosity of a provincial town. Madame Caoudal, 
completely reconciled to the new state of things, was 
as much in love with Atlantis as she had been with 
Helene. 

By the end of six months, the young Greek girl 
spoke French as well as any Parisian. She adapted 
herself to her new surroundings with exquisite 
taste, and the only thing her mother-in-law had to 
complain of in her was, that her great beauty 
attracted too much attention in the street. Rene 
didn’t complain of it. Every day he made some 


The Retur 7 i to the Light of Day, 291 

fresh discovery of the perfection of her heart and 
mind. 

As to Patrice and Helene, their opinion of one 
another had been so long formed that they found no 
change in each other. Each thought the other per- 
fect. So that everything was arranged for the best 
in this best of worlds. 

The only cloud over this delightful state of things 
was the attitude of Monte Cristo. Rene had begged 
him, very seriously, never to reveal anything about 
their fantastic voyage, not wishing to provide foolish 
gossips with the story of his wife and her submarine 
origin. He pretended not to hear. Even though 
giving a reluctant consent, out of pure politeness, to 
omit any details of Charicles and his daughter, he 
persisted in the project on which he had set his 
heart from the first, — of presenting to the Academy 
of Science an account of his adventures. And, after 
labouring long at his self-imposed task, he did so. 
Unfortunately for him, he produced a story which 
so far surpassed the facts, extraordinary enough 
in themselves, that no one believed a word of it. 

In vain he struggled and blustered, buttonholed 
each of his co-scientists ; nothing but the innate 
feeling of ordinary politeness prevented him from 
invoking the testimony of his companions ; whatever 
he said or did, he won the reputation, and will for- 
ever retain it, of trying to rival a Barbary ape. 


292 


The Crystal City, 


Sacripanti, the only one who would have con- 
firmed his assertions, but whose testimony, truth to 
say, would have been of doubtful value, had disap- 
peared in a manner which remained inexplicable, 
until Rene, one day, discovered the loss of one of 
the most magnificent of Atlantis’s pearls. Monte 
Cristo, furious at the discovery, would have pursued 
the thief, but, by common consent, they decided to 
leave him alone, and all trace of him was completely 
lost. 

Rene sent in his resignation to the minister of the 
navy, reserving, however, the right to resume active 
service if his country needed him. Atlantis was 
perfectly happy among her new relatives, and in her 
affectionate heart, her husband, her mother, her 
brother Patrice, and her sister Hdene had taken the 
place of the august old man whom they had buried 
in the depths of the sea, though she was very far 
from forgetting him. 

But, before long, Rene remarked a cloud of melan- 
choly on her sweet face. He often heard her sigh 
at sight of the sea. Sometimes she had a home- 
sick look. Quick to become alarmed, Rene’s devo- 
tion enabled him easily to unravel the secret of her 
sadness. The poor child was longing for her ocean 
home, the enchanted silence of the bottom of the 
sea, and the wonders in the midst of which she had 
grown up. Then, without saying anything to her. 


The Retur 7 i to the Light of Day. 293 

Rene sold a few of the pearls given him by Chari- 
cles. Then he made use of all the experience he 
had gained, and set all his ingenuity and his science 
to work to build for her, at the bottom of the Bay of 
Juan, a beautiful submarine villa, to which they had 
access by a submarine boat. What joy for the 
young wife, when her husband, one day, under the 
pretext of taking her for a stroll along the shore, 
brought her suddenly to the threshold of her new 
dwelling, a humble imitation of her fairy-like birth- 
place ! 

Atlantis had now nothing more to wish for. She 
and her husband passed a good third of their time in 
this retreat, and Helene and Patrice occasionally 
visited them there. In this enchanted solitude, 
oblivious of their kind, of ugly surroundings and 
petty cares, waited on only by the faithful Kermadec, 
who had finished his term of service with the fleet, 
and was as devoted as ever to his officer, they led 
an enviable life. 

Madame Caoudal declined all invitations to visit 
them. She declared she was afraid lest Monte 
Cristo should, by chance, come down upon them 
once more, and make them and their guests prisoners 
for good and all. 


THE END. 











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